February 11, 2011
IJV-Canada congratulates the Egyptian people for their tremendous step towards freedom and democracy
Independent Jewish Voices--Canada recognizes the Egyptian people's great achievement in forcing Hosni Mubarak out of power. The euphoria felt in Egypt is reverberating around the globe. People are inspired by the mass, non-violent movement for freedom and democracy in the heart of the Arab and Muslim world.
As Jews, we congratulate the Egyptian and the Tunisian peoples for overthrowing not only dictators, but also many cynical and negative stereotypes of Arabs. A case in point: the important leadership role played by Egyptian women. We are thrilled at the collapse of one of the pillars of Western colonialism undermining human rights and democracy in the Middle East and North Africa.
We, however, remain concerned as major powers such as the United States and Europe shape the region's future to meet their interests - - with only a facade of democracy.
These momentous changes in Egypt threaten the Israeli-Palestinian status quo. We understand that events may get uglier in the short term, as the old guard lash out to preserve their power. The Palestinian people are elated, but this cannot be said for their leaders, nor for Israel's coalition government.
We hope the removal of Mubarak opens up an opportunity for a new, honest Israeli - Palestinian Peace Process.
We are excited and energized to meet the upcoming challenges unfolding for IJV. These events provide the backdrop for a dynamic new era for human rights in Palestine, Israel and Canada. We count on your support of IJV's work.
No comments:
Post a Comment