CPTNET
Oct. 27, 1998
Toronto, Ontario - A BIRTHDAY PARTY
by Marilyn Koval and Larry Willms

On Wednesday October 21, 1998, Marilyn Koval, Larry Willms, Hannah Koval
Willms, and Doug Pritchard participated in a public witness outside the
Israeli Consulate in Toronto, Ontario. Willms and Koval, along with other
members of St.Andrews United Church in Sioux Lookout, Ontario are partners
in CPT's Campaign
for Secure Dwellings with the Abu Ayyash family near Hebron.

Another member of St. Andrews, Terry Lynn Jewell, attempted unsuccessfully to
arrange a meeting with the Israeli Consul in September. Willms and Koval tried
to do so prior to this public witness, also unsuccessfully. Therefore, they
handed a letter to the security guards at the consulate and a witness was
undertaken outside.

For just over two hours, the group held placards and distributed 200 leaflets
on the busy Bloor St. sidewalk outside the consulate. They found the public
to be unusually receptive and interested, and engaged in several intense
conversations.

Many were concerned as they saw the picture of the
Abu Ayyash family and their home on the leaflet, and learned that this family
could become homeless at any time as a result of the demolition order they
received in January 1997.

The placards contained simple messages such as "Israel: Home Demolitions Will
Not Bring Peace and Security" and "Jews, Muslims and Christians Can Live in
Peace". Only one hostile response was noted during the entire witness, which
engaged several thousand passers-by.

Hannah Koval Willms, nine months old, had a sign hanging from her backpack
saying "Children Need Homes to Live In". She was a reminder to many of how
horrifying a demolition would be for the Abu Ayyash family, who have recently
added a newborn to their family.

Late in the action, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer showed up, saying
that he had just been patrolling the area. He said he was in charge of
consulate security. He read the leaflet and told the witnesses he was not
surprised they had not been successful in arranging a meeting. He inquired as
to whether anyone had given them "a hard time."

After discussing the family and their newborn, and playing a bit with Hannah,
he shared that his two year old was having a birthday party that day, and that
was where he was going. He also shared, as he mused about the kids (his,
Hannah, and the Abu Ayyash), his feeling about how awful the home demolition
policy is.

The leaflet encouraged individuals to intercede on behalf of this family with
the Israeli Consul as well as Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd
Axworthy. Koval and Willms plan as a follow-up to write to these two officials
about the public support they experienced during this public witness, and also
to encourage other members of their CSD group at St. Andrews to write on
behalf of the Abu Ayyash family.