Historic Canadian veto on UN resolution

Although no one expects the UN to take Jewish refugee rights seriously - over 100 resolutions have been passed in favour of Palestinian refugees, not one in favour of Jewish refugees - Friday's Canadian veto is a small but historic step in the right direction. Instead of abstaining, Canada voted against a (non-binding) UN resolution on Palestinian rights that included the so-called right of return. The US and Canada were the only countries to veto the Economic and Social Committee resolution; 41 voted in favour. Canada has an important role to play as it chairs a UN working group on refugees.

The Globe and Mail reports: " Canada voted against a controversial resolution on Palestinian rights at the United Nations yesterday, an early sign that the new Harper government is aligning its Middle East policy more closely with the views of Israel and the United States.The previous Liberal government had abstained on the identical resolution last year. But on instructions from Ottawa, the Canadian delegation at the UN joined the United States to vote against a non-binding motion calling on Israel to allow all Palestinian refugee women and children to return to their homes.

"Gilbert Laurin, Canada's representative at the UN council session, said Ottawa was switching its vote from abstention to a nay because of the failure of the sponsors of the resolution to come back this year with a balanced document. "We have consistently called for more balance in resolutions dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian issue."

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