Yesterday marked the 75th anniversary of the Nakba, when more than 750 thousand Palestinians were displaced during the creation of Israel. 75 years later, the persecution, displacement, killing and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians persist.
Palestinians are imprisoned without trial, children must cross military checkpoints to go to school and the expansion of Israeli settlements continues onto Palestinian land. Gaza, which is effectively an open air prison, experiences ongoing bombing from Israel. For Palestinians outside of their homeland, many are prevented from returning – even just to visit. In 2021, Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a report identifying that Israel has pursued to continue Jewish-Israeli hegemony over Palestinians from the Mediterranean sea to the Jordan river. HRW identified Israel as committing “crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution” against Palestinians.
Pro-Palestine activists in both Canada and the United States experience intimidation tactics to prevent them from speaking out against Israel’s human rights violations. Both countries uphold the displacement of Palestinians and the occupation of Palestine through economically supporting Israel and sending military exports. Many of these exports are used to harm Palestinians.
On Sunday, May 14, Montrealers marched from the Israeli consulate to Peel park to identify institutions contributing to Israel’s apartheid regime and demand for the end of the occupation.
