[lit-ideas] Re: Hezbollah
- From: "Phil Enns" <phil.enns@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 10 Feb 2006 18:49:54 -0500
Veronica Caley wrote:
"I sent two links. The first one was the effort by some people to
remove Hezbollah from the list of acceptable organizations in Canada.
If you read that, then you know that there was great reluctance on the
part of various officials to remove it and finally did so, except for
the charities."
I would appreciate if Veronica could point out, in the relevant
article*, where there is mention of a 'list of acceptable organizations
in Canada', which included Hezbollah. What I did read was that there is
the 'Entities List' of proscribed organizations, to which Hezbollah was
added.
"Following the September 11 attacks, Canada enacted anti-terrorism
legislation under which Canadian citizens who provide material
assistance to individuals and groups listed by the government as
'terrorist entities' face a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. The
list originally included only terrorist groups directly linked to
Al-Qaida, but the government expanded it over the next year to include
the Palestinian Islamist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad. However,
following the lead of Britain, Canada outlawed only the 'external
security' apparatus of Hezbollah (there is no such apparatus, per say -
the term is merely a euphemism for Hezbollah cells which operate
abroad)."
The article goes on to give a justification for not proscribing the
whole organization.
"The government's justification for Hezbollah's omission from the list
centered around the contention that its conventional military and
political assets, education centers, media outlets, and social welfare
network in Lebanon were administratively separate from a so-called
'external security apparatus,' headed by Imad Mughniyah, that bears
responsibility for such international terrorist attacks as the 1994
bombing of the Argentine-Israeli Community Center in Buenos Aires, which
killed 85 people. It is claimed that Mughniyah lives in Iran,
coordinates directly with Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC)
officers, and operates independently of the formal Hezbollah power
structure. Putting an end to Hezbollah fundraising in Canada would not
necessarily weaken its external arm, the reasoning went, but would only
hurt hundreds of thousands of dreadfully poor Lebanese Shi'ites who
depend on Hezbollah. 'It is important not to label [elected officials],
doctors, and teachers as terrorists,' said Foreign Affairs Ministers
Bill Graham."
It appears that there was an attempt to distinguish the social work that
Hezbollah does in Lebanon from the work of its 'security apparatus'.
This is, of course, in no ways an acceptance of Hezbollah but rather an
attempt to impose sanctions on terrorists while also trying to avoid
punishing poor Lebanese. The Canadian government received a great deal
of criticism from both sides. The Lebanese complained that Hezbollah
shouldn't be on the list at all, while Jewish groups claimed the
social/security distinction was spurious. According to the article, the
crucial moment came with speeches made by a leader of Hezbollah.
"On December 4, the Washington Times published an article by Paul Martin
claiming that Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah had called
for a global suicide bombing campaign in two recent speeches. 'By Allah,
if they touch Al-Aqsa we will act everywhere around the world,'
Nasrallah was quoted as saying at a Jerusalem Day rally on November 29.
A few days earlier, according the paper, he had told supporters at a
rally in the Beqaa Valley, 'I encourage Palestinians to take suicide
bombings worldwide. Don't be shy about it.' The report set off a
firestorm in Canada. The following day, two major Canadian dailies, the
National Post and the Globe and Mail, ran front-page articles carrying
the quotations and Graham's tone suddenly changed. 'Hezbollah, as an
entity, is indicating that it doesn't intend to be governed by the rules
of civilized conduct,' he told reporters. 'Those statements will clearly
be factored into our decision-making in terms of what we will do with
Hezbollah in this country. That decision is being made by cabinet.' A
week later, Solicitor General Wayne Easter officially added the group to
the list."
According to Veronica, "It was at that point that B'nai B'rith went to a
court and asked that the charities be removed as well, in that it was
impossible to determine whether funds were going to human needs or
terrorism. The time line shows that the court suit was initiated by BB
in late November. And as you say, Hezbollah was put on the list you
cite on Dec. 11th, both these periods in 2002." Now, I can't reconcile
Veronica's commentary with the article. First, the article is
discussing the 'Entities List' which is a list of proscribed
organizations. I don't know why Veronica is talking of a 'list of
acceptable organizations'. Second, the article is talking about
including Hezbollah, first its 'security apparatus' and then the
organization as a whole, not removing Hezbollah. Third, the article
clearly relates the inclusion of Hezbollah on the 'List' to, first, 11
September and then the speech by the Hezbollah leader.
While there is mention of Canada giving aid to Lebanon, the article
makes no mention of Canada finding Hezabollah 'acceptable'. Perhaps
Veronica has confused aid to Lebanon with aid to Hezbollah? Also, the
article clearly relates the inclusion of Hezbollah to the 'List' to the
activities of Hezbollah, and not to Jewish pressure groups. I do think
that the Canadian government is far too soft on terrorist groups who do
fund-raising in Canada, but I see no evidence that Canada finds these
groups 'acceptable'.
And I am sorry that Veronica was unable to emigrate to Canada.
Sincerely,
Phil Enns
Toronto, ON
*http://www.meib.org/articles/0301_l3.htm
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