General News and Announcements

June 16, 2010
Updated June 28, 2010

Mardi Tindal, Moderator of The United Church of Canada, has sent a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper urging the Government of Canada to support an independent inquiry rather than an Israeli-led inquiry into the May 31 attack by Israeli military forces on a peace convoy. This multinational peace convoy was attempting to deliver essential supplies to Gaza.

The church is calling for the Canadian government to join with many nations around the world to

• support the UN Security Council Presidential Statement, strongly requesting that Israel respect and abide by international law and end the three-year blockade of Gaza by the State of Israel
• support the formation of a United Nations Security Council–mandated independent inquiry on the attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla

The letter emphasizes that neither of these actions would challenge the church's longstanding support of Israel's right to exist in peace and security.

The complete text of the United Church's letter can be found here [PDF: 1 p/62 KB]