Source: CAIR-CAN Press Release

On July 20, 2006 a Council on American-Islamic Relations-Canada press release reported, "26 Canadian Muslim organizations released the following statement today on the Canadian response to the crisis in Lebanon: 'On behalf of Canadian Muslim organizations from across the nation representing a broad spectrum of Canada's hundreds of thousands of Muslims, we call on the Canadian government to act in accordance with Canadian values and international law with regards to the ongoing human devastation in the Middle East. Canada must not stand by as the destruction of civilian lives and civilian infrastructure in Gaza and Lebanon continues under the pretext of freeing three captured soldiers. When Prime Minister Harper calls the Israeli government's highly disproportionate actions a "measured" response he is at odds with core Canadian values. The loss of life on all sides of this conflict must stop immediately. We call on our government to stay true to Canada's peacekeeping role on the international scene and move immediately to seek a peaceful resolution to this current crisis. We urge our government to call for an immediate cessation of all acts of war in the region and to push for the release of thousands of Palestinian and Lebanese people detained in Israeli jails including hundreds of women and children alongside the three captured Israeli soldiers. An immediate ceasefire is also critical to ensure the safe evacuation of Canadians in Lebanon.'"