"Even those who could not attend the rally can learn about the origin of the conflict, and the importance of adhering to international laws and holding all groups accountable for targeting civilians."
Dear Chris McGarry,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (www.https://cjpme.org) , Saskatoon Chapter, to express my sincere appreciation for your article in Lakeland This Week, covering the rally and march in Lac La Biche meant to "bring awareness of the war and the plight of the Palestinian people."
It is a joy to write this letter, and if this sounds over the top, it is because I have yet to see any other rally reported on this thoroughly.
The people of Lac La Biche were fortunate to have a speaker like Dr Farhan Chak
I appreciated that you covered Dr Chak's speech so extensively. Even those who could not attend the rally can learn about the origin of the conflict, and the importance of adhering to international laws and holding all groups accountable for targeting civilians.
I especially appreciated that you quoted Dr Chak using the term 'ethnic cleansing', naming the human rights organisations that had condemned the State of Israel for its actions and listing the specific crimes it had committed against the Palestinian people.These things needed to be heard and not whitewashed.
It was most important for the audience and your readers to learn that the conflict has to be seen in context of the occupation and international law violations.
Not only did you give an interesting and lively account of the rally illustrated with the wonderful photo of the young children with their signs, you also took the opportunity to provide valuable education.
Finally, I like that you brought in another voice, that of Sam Abougoush,with his positive message about solidarity.
Thank you for writing this excellent article,
Sincerely,
Renée Nunan-Rappard,