title: Letter to Jean-Yves Duclos date: 2023-10-17 permalink: /duclos-letter tags: [gaza, open-letter]
Jean-David Therrien 17 Octobre 2023
L’Honorable Jean-Yves Duclos 600, boulevard Charest Est, Québec, Québec, G1K 3J4
Subject: Urgent Call to Address the Escalation of Violence in Gaza
Dear Minister Duclos,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to express my profound concern and distress at the current hostilities between the State of Israel and Hamas. While I absolutely denounce the attack by Hamas of Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023, my primary concern lies with the State of Israel and Canada’s support for its retaliatory measures against Gaza and its people.
While the attack by Hamas combatants on Israel was undoubtedly tragic and unjustifiable, I find it difficult to reconcile the response by Israel – a technologically advanced military power – towards Gaza, a region under occupation, already suffering from resource shortages, and where civilians endure unsafe and inhumane conditions akin to imprisonment. The scale, indiscriminateness, and apparent disregard for civilian lives in Israel’s retaliatory violence against the people of Gaza are deeply troubling.
In addition to the bombings, Israel’s blockade of water, electricity, food, and medical supplies to Gaza can only be described as collective punishment against an entire population for the actions of a militant group. Furthermore, the extensive destruction of Palestinian infrastructure by Israeli airstrikes threatens the very conditions for continued life in the Gaza Strip, potentially affecting its surviving residents for years, if not decades, to come.
Like many Canadians, I cannot condone Canada’s ongoing support for Israel in this conflict, given its escalating hostilities and violations of international law. Beyond the events of this month, the illegal settlements in the West Bank, the dire living conditions in Gaza, and the policies resembling apartheid depriving Palestinians of their basic human rights are deeply disturbing. These actions not only contravene the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights but also stand in stark contrast to the values upheld by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Such behaviour should never be endorsed or excused by the Canadian government.
I respectfully request that, as my representative, you leverage your platform and influence to advocate for an immediate ceasefire, the resumption of peace talks between Israel and Palestine, and the prompt dispatch of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip’s population.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. I trust that you will act in the best interests of your constituents and in alignment with our shared values of peace, justice, and humanity.
Yours sincerely,
Jean-David Therrien