By Andrea Loewen
@ms_andreajoy
Since early May, Palestine and Israel have been in the global spotlight and, possibly for the first time ever, the experience of Palestinians has become central to the discussion. From the Israeli military attacking the Al-Aqsa Mosque during prayer to the deaths of at least 66 children in bombings on Gaza to the ongoing blockades and roadblocks that have restricted Palestinians’ movements since 1967, once-hidden human rights violations are now apparent..
We spoke with Karen Rodman, Founder of Just Peace Advocates, a volunteer-run organization organizing for human rights for Palestinians in Canada and around the world, as well as Lima Al-Azzeh, a Vancouver-based Palestinian writer and editor. Their words will provide the context for the following roundup of links and resources to help understand what is happening in Palestine and what you can do about it.
“Human rights are never complicated. Settler-colonization is not complicated. Apartheid is not complicated.” – Karen Rodman
“There’s no real sense of safety or security ever [for Palestinians], and that’s inherently passed down generationally… We’re just always kind of waiting for something. Because, early on we all have a sense, and it’s not abstract, we have a very real understanding that we don’t control the world, and a lot of what seems to happen in the world impacts us. Maybe disproportionately but that’s the world we live in. And so those are the lessons that then get passed down in your family like those are the types of legacies that get passed down is how to protect yourself in a world where your safety is not assured.” – Lima Al-Azzeh
HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
Mapping Israeli Occupation: A straightforward explainer from Al Jazeera on the basic history of the land and occupation of Palestine.
What Once Was: Check out these photos of Palestinians living free and joyful lives in the 1940s and see what was taken.
Decolonize Palestine: This website provides a wonderful resource to begin learning about the history and current reality of Palestine, with a 101 explainer, myths database, and FAQ.
The Myth of Two Sides: A slide reel from writer Zarrar breaking down some of the myths that might lead to a belief this is a “conflict” or “battle” between two equal sides.
“I think people are more apt now… to question narratives, because things have gotten so skewed. So I definitely think social media, like grassroots social media from actual Gaza residents, telling their own stories and broadcasting their own stories, completely changed the very propagandist narrative that kind of occupied like all media before this.” – Lima Al-Azzeh
CURRENT EVENTS
A Threshold Crossed: On April 27 of this year, Human Rights Watch released a report detailing how the nation of Israel “in most aspects of life, Israeli authorities methodically privilege Jewish Israelis and discriminate against Palestinians,” declaring it a state of apartheid and persecution.
Noura Ekarat on CNN: A Palestinian human rights lawyer, Ekarat says “Every Palestinian removed from their home is not suffering from a real estate dispute, but faces their life now, as a refugee for the rest of their life.” “Palestinians cannot even become refugees of war because Israel has sealed those borders.”
No Right to Return: Sandra Tamari, a Palestinian community organizer, shares her family’s story of displacement.
Checkpoints: Makan Rights, a Palestinian-liberation charity, shared an explainer on what it’s like to live with checkpoints as Palestinians do. Their website is also a fantastic resource.
“Over the last couple weeks, there has been a groundswell of reaction in response to Israel’s blatant violence and Canada’s complicity.” – Karen Rodman
“I feel helpless mostly [watching from Canada]… It’s bewildering to think like this could be the beginning of the end. Entire generations of bloodline and family, and entire history wiped out.” – Lima Al-Azzeh
CANADA’S ROLE
What Does Canada Have to Do With This?: Not only does Canada’s foreign policy largely support Israel, but the Israeli army actively recruits Canadians to come fight for them (which is illegal).
Innumerable Ways Canada Supports Israeli Apartheid: A webinar hosted by Just Peace Advocates about the historical and current support Canada provides for the state of Israel and its occupation of Palestine.
“Just as Canada was founded as a settler-colonial state, Israel also is a settler-colonial state. The tactics of genocide, theft of land and resources, exile, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid rule are hallmarks of settler-colonization. Prime Minister Trudeau has said Canada and Israel share values. It may well be that on a deep psychological and historical level, the shared values between Canada and Israel that Prime Minister Trudeau refers to, are based on our shared inherent settler-colonial history.” – Karen Rodman
ACTS OF RESISTANCE
“There are many ways Canadians can stand for justice for Palestine. This includes writing letters, signing petitions, contacting their elected officials, and sharing information with others. Webinars are an important way of informing yourself. The age old tactics of boycott, divestment and sanctions is a powerful way as was shown to be the case in South Africa.” – Karen Rodman
Books for Palestine: One way to help is to participate in the Books for Palestine auction June 1-4!
Solidarity Statement for Artists in Canada: Artists in Canada, are invited to sign this statement urging our government to end its support of the Israeli state.
Jewish Voices for Peace: Join or support Jewish allies who are working for liberation in Palestine.
Canadian BDS Coalition: Don’t support companies that directly profit off of the occupation of Palestine.
“You fight with your money… I think money is like voting, you give it to the people that you want to succeed and you withhold it from the people that you don’t. It’s like the very little bit of power that I as an earner and a consumer can have. So I asked people that are new to boycotting to go with the big five [Soda Stream, HP, Pillsbury Puma, and Sabra], and try and make sure they don’t have any of that stuff.” – Lima Al Azzeh
