Stand with the Palestinian Resistance to expulsion and annexation!

The eyes of the world are on Palestine as the heroic Palestinian people fiercely resist Israeli terrorism and violence intended to expel them from their homes and occupy their properties in occupied East Jerusalem. Hundreds of Palestinian men, women and children face losing their homes. For several days now the Israeli military has carried out brutal attacks against the Palestinians of the area who have stood together as one. Israeli military and police have attacked the protesters with batons, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse them. “Skunk water” and tear-gas have been fired into Palestinian homes to force the occupants to abandon their dwellings.

On May 7, several hundred riot gear-clad Israeli police officers were deployed to the Al-Aqsa mosque where 70,000 Muslims had gathered at Islam’s third-holiest site for the last Friday prayer of Ramadan and where thousands remained after to protest against the attempted expulsion of Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. Over the next days the police attacked the protesters in an effort to disperse them. On May 10, the Israeli military entered the mosque compound itself and used tear gas, rubber bullets and batons to against the protesters. More than 300 people have been hurt, many with life-threatening injuries. Countless others have been arrested. More than 25 Palestinians have been killed in cowardly attacks by the Israeli air force on civilians in Gaza allegedly in “retaliation” for rockets fired by the Hamas resistance. Hamas had warned that it would not stand idly by while these crimes were being committed.

May 10, 2021. Israeli forces raid the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

May 11, 2021. Aftermath of Israeli airstrike on Al-Salah School in Deir Al-Balah, Central Gaza.

We deplore the fact that no matter what crimes the state of Israel commits, its western imperialist backers, Canada included, merely issue mealy mouthed appeals for “de-escalation.” They refuse to hold the state of Israel to account for its violations of international law. This includes UN resolution 181 itself which they signed to permit the partition of Palestine in 1947 and bring into being the state of Israel. They are responsible for the violation of that and many other UN resolutions. They are permitting these crimes to take place and must be held to account. Israel openly admits to the assassination of Iranian scientists; violates the sovereignty of Lebanon; launches missile attacks against Syria; annexes more and more Palestinian territory and declares Jerusalem its capitol — all in violation of international law without any consequences.

On May 8 for example, Canada’s Foreign Minister Marc Garneau issued a statement calling for “immediate de-escalation” and he called on “all sides” to “avoid any unilateral actions.” Canada was simply following the lead of the U.S. State Department which on May 7 completely misrepresented who is the aggressor in this situation and called for de-escalation with trite remarks that “it is absolutely critical that all sides exercise restraint […]”

History condemns those who stand by as Canada is doing, while the Zionist state of Israel oppresses the indigenous Palestinians and commits genocide. History also condemns those like Canada who label anyone who supports the Palestinian resistance as “anti-Semitic” and persecutes them.

Recent actions to oppose Zionist aggression and support the Palestinian people, in East Jerusalem and Ramallah; Amman, Jordan; and Glasgow, Scotland.

Emergency actions have been called across Canada in defence of the heroic Palestinian people and to demand an end to Canada’s silence in the face of Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians. The Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) is urging everyone to go all out to participate in these emergency actions.

Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East have organized an email campaign to hold the Canadian government to account. To send an email to the Prime Minister, your local MP, and other federal political leaders, click here.

Actions are being planned for Saturday May 15, with requirements for physical distancing and masks in place. These actions also commemorate Al Nakbah (Arabic for the Catastrophe), the brutal crime on which Zionist Israel was founded when Zionist militias forcibly expelled 750,000 Palestinians from their homeland, dispossessing them of 4.2 million acres of land on May 15, 1948.

Montreal

Car Caravan to Commemorate Al Nakba
11:00 am
Lafontaine Park, 1301 Sherbrook E.
Facebook
Organized by: Fondation canado-palestinienne du Québec

Toronto

Ongoing Nakba, Ongoing Resistance
7:00-9:00 pm
Nathan Phillips Square
Facebook
Organized by: Palestinian Youth Movement

Edmonton

Drive for Palestine Car Convoy
6:00 pm
Starts from Castledowns YMCA, 11510 153 Ave. NW

Vancouver

Nakba73: Flash Picket for Palestine
2:00-3:00 pm
CBC Vancouver Plaza, 700 Hamilton St.
Facebook
Organized by: Canada Palestine Association, Palestinian Youth Movement, Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, BDS Vancouver-Coast Salish Territories

UNITED STATES

For event listings across the U.S., visit the
Palestinian Youth Movement Facebook Page

(Photos: Samidoun, Activestills, Palestinian Press Agency, S. Sangha)