STOP THE GENOCIDE IN PALESTINE! ARMS EMBARGO NOW!

The recent Zionist attack on Iran brings the region ever closer to catastrophe and a wider war in West Asia. The Zionist Prime Minister of Israel, Benzion Mileikowsky AKA Benjamin Netanyahu has been itching for war with Iran for over 20 years, but he needs to drag US imperialism into his pet project of building “greater Israel.” joint effort by falsely accusing Iran of having, or being about to deploy, nuclear weapons.

It is important to place the current situation in its proper context. After the latest Zionist attack on Iran in October US imperialism immediately justifies this as an act of “self defence” while, at the same time, calling on the victim of Israeli aggression to show restraint and de-escalate. Such diplomatic cover occurred when Israel bombed the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1, 2024 and when Palestinian resistance leader Ismael Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran on July 31, 2024.

US imperialist aggression against the Iranian people and their governments dates back almost a century. In 1953 the CIA overthrew the progressive democratically elected President of Iran, Mohammad Mosaddegh replacing him with the brutal shah Mohammad Rena Pahlavi. In the first three weeks after the coup the US provided $68 million to consolidate the dictatorship. This was followed by $1.2 billion in subsequent aid over a short period of time. In more recent history the US has waged an economic war against Iran by way of crippling sanctions as well as constantly promoting internal efforts at a “colour revolution”. On January 3, 2020 the US under Trump assassinated Major General Qasem Soleimani.

Israel and US imperialism are preparing for a major escalation. Ominously, on November 2 and 3, 2024 the US deployed 6 B-52 Stratofortress bombers, several F-15E Strike Eagles and refuelling tankers to West Asia to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group. US Central Command boss General Michael Kurilla met with Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzl Halevi regarding “joint preparations against regional threats”. We must never forget that Zionist Israel is directly linked to NATO via the Mediterranean Dialogue which only increases the likelihood of a very wide conflict in West Asia. With the election of Trump and his hand picked Republicans war hawks Pete Hegseth (Defence) and Marco Rubio (State) a direct attack on Iran is certainly possible in the very near future.

For his part the war monger Netanyahu is all in. In his most recent speech to the UN General Assembly on September 27, 2024 he framed the conflict with Iran and all those West Asian countries opposed to genocide with typical colonial racist rhetoric – a battle between Zionist good and Arab or Muslim evil, between Western civilization and West Asian barbarism. He describes those opposing genocide as “savage murderers” out to destroy “our common civilization” intent on dragging us all back “to a dark age of tyranny and terror.” Such racist language has been used to justify Zionist war crimes dating back to the 1948 Nakba. Most recently Netanyahu has appointed Israel Katz, a fanatical war monger, to be his new Minister of “Defence”. Katz has described Iran as a threat to the whole world.

Canada, under the Harper Conservatives, severed diplomatic relations with Iran in 2012. The usual excuses for such a short sighted approach included “women’s rights”, Iran’s alleged nuclear program, and its support for Syrian President Al-Assad who was fighting to defeat ISIS. With Canada’s unwavering support for the Zionist genocide in Palestine it is obvious that the real reason for breaking off relations was to obediently follow orders from Washington. Diplomacy is not to be found in threats and sanctions which simply places Canada in the shadow of US imperialism.

The Canadian Peace Congress condemns in the strongest terms the continued Israeli aggression against Palestine and all her neighbours including Iran. We warn that such aggression and the continued genocide in Palestine and war on Lebanon along with Zionist attacks on Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Iran will bring West Asia to the brink of a disastrous regional war and possibly a world war. We reiterate that there is an urgent need for efforts to block Israel and the U.S. from further escalation.

With no voices for peace in Canada’s Parliament only a broad based extra- parliamentary peace movement can force governments away from the brink of the unthinkable war. Our Congress demands that Canada reverse course and make every effort to bring diplomacy to bear on the serious situation before us. Such diplomacy must include efforts to halt Israeli aggression against its neighbours in West Asia. The first step in curbing such aggression is the immediate implementation of a complete two way arms embargo against Israel.

Just as important is our long standing demand that Canada get out of the aggressive and dangerous NATO military alliance that effectively means that Canada’s foreign policy is made in Washington DC. Canada desperately needs an independent foreign policy based on peace, disarmament and peaceful coexistence of nations.

Together with peace movements across English speaking Canada and Quebec we encourage all peace loving people to get involved in the crucial struggle for peace. Join a local peace council in your area. Consider affiliating your organization to the Congress. It’s time to MOBILIZE FOR PEACE.

CANADA OUT OF NATO, NORAD, THE 5 EYES SPY NETWORK!

Executive, Canadian Peace Congress
November 15th, 2024