By Dave McKee
Israel’s expanded military offensive against Gaza, which aims to fully annex and ethnically cleanse the Palestinian territory, warrants the strongest condemnation from the people of Canada. The Canadian government must be pressed to oppose this move by Israel, and to take decisive action including an immediate and comprehensive two-way arms embargo.
Under the supportive eye of Washington and western imperialist countries including Canada, Israel’s planned seizure of Gaza will subject two million Palestinians – half of them children – to displacement, starvation and death.
For two months already, Israel has blocked food aid from entering Gaza – a territory severely damaged after more than a year and a half of bombardment. This latest phase of the aggression – announced on the anniversary of the Nakba when some 700,000 Palestinians were forced off their land in 1948 – makes Israel’s genocidal intent unquestionably clear.
For over 18 months, the people of the world have called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the complete and unconditional withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza and all occupied territories, and an end to Israel’s siege of Gaza which has created conditions of mass famine.
But in the face of this global outcry, the Canadian government has shamefully remained complicit in this genocide. Ottawa has provided political cover for Israel’s aggression, it has continued arms exports, and it has sat silent as hospitals are bombed and people murdered and forced into starvation. In doing so, the Canadian government has made itself an enabler of war crimes.
Ottawa, along with provincial and municipal government throughout the country, has worked to silence and demonize anti-war and pro-Palestinian voices, by equating criticism of Israel with antisemitism.
But millions of people in Canada know that standing against war, occupation and genocide is not a hate crime – in fact, it is precisely what is required right now.
Now is the time to support movements and mobilizations against Israel’s aggression. Now is the time to call on Ottawa to push for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, and for Israel to lift the siege it has imposed on Gaza since 2006. Now is the time for the Canadian government to implement an immediate two-way arms embargo and support Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) on Israel.
Palestine will be free.
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