Canada's axis of evil
The newest axis of evil: Iran, Syria and .... Canada? It may seem a stretch from the way Canadians like to think of ourselves, but reports suggest this country is one of the foremost centres of operation for one of the world's foremost terrorist organizations. Hezbollah, according to media reports last week, runs a successful money laundering operation and material collection business here.
The reports of terror operations in Canada are not entirely new. Before Mohammed Hussein al-Husseini, a Hezbollah agent, was deported from Canada in 1994, he apparently sang like a canary to Canadian officials, though why he was so forthcoming and what secrets he kept are not known.
The ultimate goal o[Hezbollah ("The party of God") is the destruction of the Jewish state. This is neither surprising, nor particularly original. There have been plenty of terrorist organizations with the same objective. Its strategy, however, may be more successful than that of other groups, including the arguably very effective PLO.
Hezbollah has a triangulated approach to destroying Israel. Unlike the PLO, which seems to think it will destroy the Zionist dream by wearing down the Israeli people through relentless attacks on civilians, Hezbollah has a grander scheme. The Shi-ite fundamentalists who operate Hezbollah see dead Israelis (and Americans, and others) as merely a fortuitous byproduct of their killing. The real goal is to terrorize Israel to the point where it reacts with force, hopefully (in Hezbollah's plan) bringing official response from neighboring Arab states, resulting in a full-scale war in which Israel is ultimately defeated.
That long-term strategy was apparently on the minds of Van-cou\'er-bascd Hezbollah members whose conversations were taped by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). According to a report in the National Post, Hezbollah operatives congratulated each other for their suc-z: cesses—not for the terrorism they fomented, but for the handy ^ byproduct, which was to provoke ^ an Israeli response. CQ The reports also indicated that 2: a Vancouver Hezbollah member uj approached a local company, w seeking to purchase "any equip-^ ment used to blow up rocks." ^ Hezbollah, one of the most CO prolific killers of Israelis and
Americans, was formed in Lebanon in 1982 and obtains most of its funding from the Iranian and Syrian governments. CSIS reports say Hezbollah operatives in the Middle East send "shopping lists" to Canada where their colleagues amass the items and ship them abroad. Vancouver is said to be one of the locations where these Canadian operatives live and "shop."
In addition to supplies, videotapes of Canadian infrastructure were reportedly prepared and sent to Hezbollah, presumably in preparation for some sort of terror attacks on this country.
As these details come to light, countless new questions should be raised.
Canada's prime minister attended a meeting last month that was also attended by the Hezbollah leader and refused to condemn the terrorist group's actions. Has Jean Chretien been informed of Hezbollah's activities in Canada or even read about them in the newspaper? One would hope the leader of our national government would be ahead of the average newspaper reader on this learning curve. These CSIS reports about Hezbollah reached the Canadian public as a result of a barely related American judicial matter. If we, almost by chance, found out this much information, what else should we know? More to the point, what should the prime minister know and what is he doing with the information CSIS has gathered for him?
If we have a security intelligence service unearthing details about extensive terrorist activities in our borders, is it not incumbent on our elected officials to act on that information?
If Canadian banks have been used to launder money used for terrorist activities, does that not indicate a failure on the banks' part to remain aware of potential abuses? Are there standardized methods for flagging unusual or suspicious transfers within the Canadian banking system?
Most significantly, Canada's new anti-terrorism law does not single out Hezbollah as a banned terrorist organization because, according to Ottawa, there is a political wing and a military wing of Hezbollah and this distinction should be recognized.
One last question, then: Would the purchase of explosives "used to blow up rocks" constitute a "political" activity or a "military" one? □
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Letters
Community's needs are met
Editon
Thank you for your coverage of lay-led services in your recent issue. I found the range and scope of lay-led services described very interesting. I do want to clarify a couple of points made by your reporter regarding the work of the ritual committee and the services ofiered at Congregation Sha'arei Mizrah (Burquest Jewish Community Association). Although we are a small committee, we have been able to meet the ritual needs of our community, including organizing and leading three b'nai mitzvah over the last three months, as well as or-
ganizing and leading services for all of the holidays. As well, we provide support and assistance to our members and the community at large on lit-ual issues and concerns. We are also very fortunate to access lay leaders from other synagogues who have assisted us when needed. Like most synagogues we have a small but dedicated group of individuals who attend services and actively participate. As our community grows and more members become involved we look forward to being able to increase the number of services offered.
Shelley Rivkin New Westminster
Be aware of pension law
Editon
In times of crisis. North American Jews have always answered Israel's call for help, hi 1948,1967 and 1973, many thousands volunteered to fight or work in Israel. Tens of thousands made financial contributions. These days, however, Israel emissaries have problems recruiting volunteers even for tourist programs. There prevails a perception in the Jewish community that the risks are too great and there is too much to lose. Media like CNN have made people sawier about conditions overseas, unlike in 1973 when knowledge of Israel
Writers were over!ooi(ed
was rudimentary and emissaries could present a rosy picture of work, war and living conditions.
Furthermore the partnership between Israelis and Diaspora Jews is becoming more of a oneway street. Once in Israel, Israelis oflen take us for granted. Gratitude is perceived as weakness. Some volunteer veterans injured in the 1948 War, for example, have never received compensation for their injuries. There is, therefore, a perception, that if, God forbid, somebody were killed, injured or traumatized in a terrorist attack or war zone, Israelis would give victims and families short shrift. In fact, Israel and England are the only nations in
the world that have no reciprocal pension treaty with the United States and Canada. Israelis injured working in North America can claim pensions from our governments, but not vice versa. This imbalance must be redressed.
By the law of Israel (and every democracy), a civilian, Israeli or foreigner, tourist or worker, is entitled to a pension in the event of injury as a result of hostile action. Diaspora Jews must become more aware of this Victims of Hostile Action (Pensions) Law (1970). And we must insist that Israelis obey it.
Lawrence Chanin Victoria
Editor:
In her article on Linda Grant ("Head-to-head with the boys," Bulletin, Nov. 1), Katharine Hamer writes that (apart from Grant) "there are few [Jewish] women writers to compare" with such well-known male Jewish writers as Saul Bellow, Philip Roth and Mordecai Richler.
I find this puzzling in that it seems to overlook many notable Jewish women writers, such as Grace Paley, Joanne Greenberg, Cynthia Ozick and Rebecca CSoldstein. Linda (Srant is not an exception or an anomaly, as Ms. Hamers' remark implies.
Carl Rosenberg Vancouver
Article was informative
Editor:
I wish to commend the Economist for its very thoughtful, factual, informative and fairly balanced article "Iraq, Israel and the United Nations: Double Standards," published on Oct. 10. It clearly explains the difference between binding and non-binding UN resolutions, and points out that Iraq is clearly out of compliance with binding UN resolutions, whereas Israel is not. It further explains that UN resolution 242 does not require Israel to withdraw from all the land gained in the 1967 war and, in fact, that the resolution draflers envisioned that through negotiations Israel would likely keep some of the land.
Why does the UN hot discuss
Arab aggression against Israel? Why do they not mention about the 6,000 Israelis who perished at the hands of five invading Arab armies? Palestinians were not the only victims in the Arab-Israeli conflict Why is there deafening silence on the Arab world's role in creating and perpetuating the, plight of the Palestinian reihgees in refugee camps for the past several decades?
The surrounding dictatorial and corrupt Arab states have used the Palestinians as political pawns, with their ultimate goal to destroy Israel. It is about time they take responsibility for contributing to the Palestinian misery.
Until radical Arab nationalists and Islamists realize that the route of killing innocent people leads only to dead ends, Is-
raelis are forced to take self-defensive measures to protect its citizens from deadly hostile neighbors. Israel is prepared to coexist with its neighbors. Sadly, the Palestinians and most Arab states want to exist without Israel.
Kudos to the Economist for educating the public about important issues on this subject that has been neglected by most others in the media. Again the Economist should be commended for explaining the conflict in a fair and factually balanced manner.
Josh Basson Seattle, Wash.
This letter was originally sent to the Economist and is reprinted with permission.