Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. friend from the Liberal Party for his very astute question.
Although we support this bill, I believe there is an inherent danger in the bill's being perceived as an endorsement for Mr. Netanyahu and the Likud party's hard line approach with the Palestinian people. That is why it is imperative for us to make clarifications.
We should through this bill strongly support and coerce the Israeli government to engage in serious economic activities to improve the health and welfare of the people who exist in the Palestinian autonomous areas and in particular the terrible and profoundly disgusting conditions that exist in the Palestinian camps. If anyone were to visit them, they would be absolutely shocked. Therein lies the danger and the opportunity.
That is why I would strongly encourage our government to make it very clear to the Government of Israel that we as a country do not support this hard line attitude; we do not support the prevention of Palestinians from moving into Israel from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip; and we do not support the continued atrocious and appalling conditions that exist in the Palestinian camps and in the Palestinian autonomous areas.
We strongly demand that, together with Mr. Arafat and the other Middle East leaders, Prime Minister Netanyahu engage in co-operative efforts to improve the economic situation that exists in these areas. Therein lies the hope for peace.