What you won’t find in CAIR-Canada’s latest press release: any acknowledgement of the kidnappings, or of the thousands of rockets fired into Israeli cities: Muslim Groups: It’s all Israel’s fault, release terrorists.

COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS CANADA

CAIR-CAN Press Release
Muslims call on Prime Minister to demand immediate ceasefire in Mideast conflict
Thursday, July 20, 2006 2:33 pm

For immediate release

26 Canadian Muslim organizations released the following statement today on the Canadian response to the crisis in Lebanon:

“On behalf of Canadian Muslim organizations from across the nation representing a broad spectrum of Canada’s hundreds of thousands of Muslims, we call on the Canadian government to act in accordance with Canadian values and international law with regards to the ongoing human devastation in the Middle East.

”Canada must not stand by as the destruction of civilian lives and civilian infrastructure in Gaza and Lebanon continues under the pretext of freeing three captured soldiers. When Prime Minister Harper calls the Israeli government’s highly disproportionate actions a “measured” response he is at odds with core Canadian values. The loss of life on all sides of this conflict must stop immediately.

“We call on our government to stay true to Canada’s peacekeeping role on the international scene and move immediately to seek a peaceful resolution to this current crisis. We urge our government to call for an immediate cessation of all acts of war in the region and to push for the release of thousands of Palestinian and Lebanese people detained in Israeli jails including hundreds of women and children alongside the three captured Israeli soldiers. An immediate
ceasefire is also critical to ensure the safe evacuation of Canadians in Lebanon.

”Canada is built on the respect of fundamental human rights and international law. In a world where so many are busy waging war, Canada must continue to do what it has always done best: make peace.

“In the name of the values which Canadians of all faiths share, we call on Prime Minister Harper to live up to his responsibilities and act in accordance with Canada’s peacekeeping tradition.”

The signatories to the statement include: Ahlul Bait Assembly Canada; British Columbia Muslim Association (BCMA); Council on American Islamic Relations-Canada (CAIR CAN); Canadian Muslim Civil Liberties Association (CMCLA); Canadian Council of Muslim Theologians (CCMT); Canadian Muslim Forum;Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association (CMLA); Coalition of Muslim Organization (COMO); Dar al-Tawheed Islamic Centre; Edmonton Council of Muslim Communities; Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA); Islamic Council of Imams Canada; Islamic Social Services and Resources Association; Islamic Society of Kingston; Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)-Canada; Islamic Society of Toronto; Islamic Supreme Council of Canada (ISCC); Jam’iatul Muslemin of Toronto; Muslim Community Council of Ottawa-Gatineau (MCCOG); Muslim Association of Canada (MAC); Muslim Council of Calgary; Muslim Council of Montreal (MOM); Ottawa Muslim Association (OMA); Salahedeen Islamic centre; TARIC Islamic Centre; and United Front Canada.

UPDATE at 7/20/06 8:20:37 pm:

Meanwhile, the American branch of CAIR is soliciting accounts of Muslim casualties in Lebanon for propaganda purposes: US Muslims ask for Mideast casualties accounts.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations is using an online questionnaire to collect eyewitness accounts of American citizens or permanent residents injured or killed in the fighting in Lebanon, it was reported on Friday morning.

CAIR’s survey asks if the respondent was injured, then asks him or her to list the names of American citizens or permanent residents who were injured or killed. It also asks for personal information, including a passport or residency card number.

“We need to know whether any of our nation’s citizens or permanent residents were harmed by Israeli attacks using American taxpayer-supplied weapons,” CAIR executive director Nihad Awad said in a statement.