By Rozhin Emadi
May 15 marks the anniversary of the 1948 expulsion of over 750,000 Palestinians by the Zionist Israeli state – a catastrophe known as the Nakba. In recent months, human rights organizations have described the intensified and genocidal assault on Palestine since October 7, 2023, as a “second Nakba.” These events catalyzed the founding of Labour for Palestine (L4P) in Vancouver, though many of its members have long been active in building labour solidarity with Palestine.
Most recently, L4P-Vancouver hosted a powerful Nakba Day event, bringing together a wide range of speakers, musicians and participants committed to justice and liberation. The sold-out event, held at the Red Gate Arts Society – a space known for supporting grassroots social justice initiatives – provided a safe, intimate and resonant environment for reflection and action.
The evening opened by grounding attendees in a shared understanding: colonialism is a global system that has devastated communities across continents. Yet, wherever there is oppression, there is also resistance. From the Indigenous land defense movements here on the stolen and unceded territories of the Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw), Musqueam (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm) and Tsleil-Waututh (səlilwətaɬ) Nations, to the enduring resistance in Palestine, communities have risen to defend land, culture and life.
Despite decades of brutal military occupation and the current genocidal violence, Palestinians continue to resist with unwavering courage. As labour activists and organizers in Vancouver, we felt it essential to stand in solidarity – both in words and action – with Palestinians everywhere.
The program began with a compelling dialogue between Dr. Gabor Maté, bestselling author and physician, and Palestinian labour leader Moe Alqasem. Facilitated by Alli Massie – an educator, researcher and long-time anti-war activist – the discussion explored the ongoing significance of Nakba Day. Maté and Alqasem emphasized the importance of historical understanding to fully grasp the context of today’s Palestinian resistance and the genocide unfolding.
This conversation was followed by a moving speech from Rueben George, Ceremonial Chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, who underscored the interconnectedness of global struggles and the moral imperative to act with empathy and solidarity across borders. Colonial violence may transcend boundaries, but so too must our resistance.
The program continued with passionate contributions from union activists across various sectors. They highlighted the need for a labour movement that takes a clear stand against war and genocide. Speakers emphasized that the same corporations profiting from the destruction of Palestine are those exploiting workers globally. Solidarity, they argued, is not symbolic – it is material and necessary.
Keynote speaker Chris Smalls, founder and former president of the Amazon Labor Union, delivered an empowering call to action, declaring that “silence is complicity.” It was his refusal to stay silent about Amazon’s exploitation of workers that sparked the organizing efforts which led to the creation of the first Amazon union in the US. His message was clear: workers have power, and we must not hesitate to use it – especially when lives are at stake.
Smalls also pointed to Amazon’s complicity in Israeli apartheid. Through its involvement in Project Nimbus, a multibillion-dollar cloud computing contract with the Israeli government and military, Amazon provides the infrastructure for advanced surveillance technologies – facial recognition, biometrics and data analytics – that are used to further displace and control Palestinians. This is not a distant issue. It is part of a global system in which profit is prioritized over human rights.
The current genocide in Gaza is just one piece of a broader imperialist project. From Iraq and Afghanistan to Libya, Syria and Iran, we see the same logic: states and peoples who challenge imperial domination are targeted, destabilized and destroyed. Palestine’s erasure from the map is not incidental – it has long been a goal of Western imperial powers seeking to reshape the region for economic and strategic control.
Canada, too, is complicit. It remains one of Israel’s closest military, political and economic allies. This support is unsurprising, given Canada’s own colonial foundations and its ongoing displacement of Indigenous peoples. In fact, Canada’s reserve system influenced both South African apartheid and Israel’s current regime. As labour activists, we must hold our government accountable. We must demand an immediate end to arms sales to Israel and a foreign policy rooted in justice, not imperialism.
Speakers throughout the night reminded us that Palestinian liberation is a labour issue. Union members have a responsibility to raise awareness, support boycotts and answer the call from Palestinian workers for international solidarity – just as the global labour movement did in the fight against South African apartheid. As the saying goes: an injury to one is an injury to all.
Since launching Labour for Palestine in Vancouver, we’ve built a growing network of union members dedicated to this struggle. We’ve passed resolutions in our unions, held educational workshops, launched our national Hot Cargo Campaign, and worked tirelessly to keep Palestine on the agenda. This Nakba Day event was made possible through union support and serves as a testament to what we can achieve when we organize together.
Let us continue to educate, mobilize and fight – for people, for the planet, and for a future that values justice over profit. When we fight, we win.
We have a world to win.
Support working-class media!
If you found this article useful, please consider donating to People’s Voice or purchasing a subscription so that you get every issue of Canada’s leading socialist publication delivered to your door or inbox!
For over 100 years, we have been 100% reader-supported, with no corporate or government funding.
