TORONTO, Nov. 29, 2012 /CNW/ - Today, the United Nations General Assembly is expected to vote to upgrade the status of Palestine from non-member observer entity to non-member observer state.
In anticipation of the vote, David Koschitzky, Chair of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, issued the following statement:
"We commend the Conservative Government and the federal Liberals for opposing this symbolic gesture, which will neither create a Palestinian state nor advance the cause of peace. What the Palestinian people need - and what Israelis have long sought - is an end to this painful conflict. It is disappointing that rather than taking meaningful steps toward this all-important objective, the Palestinian leadership is celebrating an empty achievement at the UN.
"A Palestinian state would have been established long ago had the Palestinian leadership not rejected peace offers on three separate occasions in the past twelve years. To this day, the Palestinian leadership has refused Israel's standing invitation to enter into direct peace talks without precondition. Canadians understand that what is urgently needed is for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to return to negotiations - the only route to peace and a better future for Palestinians and Israelis alike."
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs is a non-partisan organization that serves as the advocacy arm of the Jewish Federations of Canada.
SOURCE: Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs
For further information:
Steve McDonald
Associate Director, Communications
416-953-4417
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