I am deeply affected by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, particularly the plight of Palestinian civilians. The ethnic cleansing, indiscriminate bombing and collective punishment they face is heart-wrenching. As Canadians we must seek justice and peace for these innocent lives.

Canada's official policy on the matter is that "Canada condemns all acts of terrorism and terrorists should be brought to justice and prosecuted in accordance with international law. Terrorism must be rejected as a means for achieving political ends. It is counter-productive to reaching a comprehensive, just and lasting peace settlement. Canada equally condemns all forms of incitement."

Canada has listed Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, and other groups as terrorist organizations in accordance with UN Resolution 1373 (2001) and Canadian legislation.

UN Resolution 1373 condemns all acts of terrorism, regardless of their motivation or origin. It calls upon states not to provide any form of support, active or passive, to entities or persons involved in terrorist acts (UN General Assembly). Yet Israel's actions towards Palestinians can be seen as state-sponsored terrorism under this resolution.

Terrorism is defined in Article 2.1.b as “any act intended to cause death or serious bodily injury to a civilian, or to any other person not taking an active part in the hostilities in a situation of armed conflict, when the purpose of such act, by its nature or context, is to intimidate a population, or to compel a government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act.”

For many years The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that there have been 1000s of incidents where Israeli forces caused civilian injuries or property damage in Palestine. Furthermore, Amnesty International has documented numerous instances where Israeli forces have used excessive force against Palestinians who pose no imminent threat - a clear violation of international law.

Canada prides itself on its commitment to human rights and international law. Therefore it is incumbent upon our nation to recognize the ongoing actions of the Israeli Government and the IDF for what they are - acts of terrorism under UN Resolution 1373 - and act accordingly.

Please note that this recognition does not diminish or compete with the existing recognition of Hamas as a terrorist organization.

By signing this petition you are urging Canadian officials to take a stand against state-sponsored terrorism and uphold our country's commitment to human rights and international law. Please sign this petition today!