CCMW Statement and Letter on Al-Aqsa Mosque Attacks
CCMW is deeply troubled by the videos and photos emerging from Jerusalem of Israeli forces violating the internationally recognized sanctity of the Al Aqsa Mosque, one of the most sacred sites for Muslims worldwide. The attack on Palestinian worshippers as they prayed peacefully during Ramadan on one of the most inviolable sites for Muslims, and the Israeli forces’ flagrant violation of the human rights of Palestinians under international law, must be categorically condemned. The right of people to worship freely and in safety must be upheld for all, regardless of faith.
Escalating violence in East Jerusalem as a result of the ongoing illegal occupation is deeply troubling. The demolitions and forced removal of Palestinians from their homes must end. These ongoing attacks on Palestinians are part of a de-facto ethnic cleansing and therefore constitute crimes against humanity. Israel needs to put a stop to the illegal evictions and de-escalate, and Canada must increase efforts to seek a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict.
CCMW stands in solidarity with the Palestinian community and we request that the Canadian government denounce in no uncertain terms Israel’s deliberate attack on the Al Aqsa Mosque and its ongoing campaign to expand illegal settlements in, and evict and dispossess Palestinians from occupied East Jerusalem.
We call upon Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Marc Garneau, and the Canadian government to condemn these acts of aggression against innocent civilians in places of worship, to respect the sanctity of religious sites, and to respect the rights of Palestinians over their lands and places of worship. This is an opportunity for Canada to show its commitment to international cooperation and human rights.
