LETTER TO THE EDITOR: James Reimer is right about Israel

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/08/2024 (186 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Re: The stain on the Paris Olympics, from the column As I See It, by James Reimer, July 25 issue of The Carillon.

James writes that “the logic of allowing Israel to compete in Paris doesn’t add up,” and I couldn’t agree more. The IOC banned Russia from the Olympics for its brutal war against Ukraine, yet it turns a blind eye to Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. If the IOC decisively acted against Russia, it must also ban Israel from the Olympics for the war crimes it is committing in Gaza. Failing to do so reveals an undeniable double standard.

The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. Palestinians are forcibly relocated to so-called “safe” zones by Israel, only to endure constant bombardment. The health system is collapsing, with hospitals out of fuel and unable to treat the injured. Many are living in tents, struggling to survive under Israel’s blockade. One does not need to be Palestinian to oppose Israel’s violent occupation, genocide, and ethnic cleansing. The IOC’s failure to act is a moral stain that will forever taint these Olympics. We need a universal standard of justice, not one marred by selective inaction.