A coalition of nearly 200 Quebec civil society organizations and several public figures is preparing for “a major mobilization” planned for Saturday and denounces “Canada’s complicity” in Israeli military attacks in Palestinian territories.
The Quebec URGENCE Palestine Coalition invited the media Wednesday morning to Montreal to call for an “immediate ceasefire and the free flow of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip as well as an end to direct military exports and indirect, towards Israel.
The spokesperson for the Quebec URGENCE Palestine Coalition, Raymond Legault, expects “a level of mobilization that we have not seen for a long time” in the streets of Montreal on Saturday “to denounce Canadian complicity” in the humanitarian drama taking place in the Palestinian territories.
The coalition denounces Canada’s “hypocrisy of discourse”
“Canada has expressed concerns about what is happening to the civilian population of Gaza, but has continued to speak about Israel’s right to defend itself as Israel terrorizes and kills the civilian population of Gaza in full view. from all over the world,” said Raymond Legault during a press conference, attended by actor Luc Picard, representatives of unions and various organizations.
Canadian MPs voted in majority Monday in favor of a motion calling on the government to work “toward the establishment of the State of Palestine as part of a negotiated two-state solution.”
“But this debate does not change anything in the matter, it is a watered-down motion which was adopted and which is non-binding,” denounced Mr. Legault, who fears that “Canada continues to lie” particularly concerning the sale of arms to Israel.
According to Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, Monday’s vote in the House of Commons demonstrates that Canada can find common ground. She clarified that although the motion is non-binding, its content becomes the official position of the government.
Canada has long called for a negotiated two-state solution in the region. Ottawa still considers the West Bank and East Jerusalem to be territories occupied by Israel, but the phrase “negotiated solution” raises eyebrows at Niall Clapham Ricardo of the Independent Jewish Voices organization, which is part of the coalition.
“But who doesn’t want to negotiate? It’s Israel. Netanyahu has not wanted to negotiate since the end of the Oslo Accords. So, if Canada wants us to achieve a two-state solution, we should perhaps put a little pressure on Israel,” he indicated.
“It is important to remember that in international law, we do not negotiate on the basis of rights violations,” added Lynda Khelil, of the League of Rights and Freedoms.
“When we talk about justice, respect for rights and peace, the solution must be articulated according to the exercise of the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people and must emanate from the Palestinian people who are the oppressed people,” according to her. .
Christine Gauthier, vice-president of FNEEQ — CSN, which represents 35,000 teachers, indicated that her union joins its voice with other organizations so that “the massacres, barbarism, dehumanization, war crimes and genocide stop.”
Several references to a “genocide”
The term “genocide” was used several times by various representatives of organizations during the press conference.
On January 26, in a first verdict in the case between South Africa and Israel for alleged “genocide” in Gaza, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered that Israel immediately take measures to ensure that its army does not violate the Genocide Convention.
The highest court of the United Nations, however, did not order a ceasefire, nor did it conclude that genocide was occurring in Gaza.
The accusation of genocide undermines the national identity of Israel, which was founded as a Jewish state after the Nazi massacre of 6 million Jews during World War II.
Niall Clapham Ricardo, himself a Jew, said “it is our duty, in the proud line of our Jewish principles, to denounce this genocide”.
He added “that at Independent Jewish Voices”, the expression “never again” does not mean “never again only for Jews”, but also for “other peoples”, such as the Palestinians.
Situation in the Palestinian territories
In recent months, at least 31,819 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and fighters in its tally but says women and children account for both. third of the deaths.
A UN food agency has warned that “famine is imminent” in the northern Gaza Strip.
Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people in the October 7 surprise attack from Gaza that sparked the war, and kidnapped another 250 people. Hamas is still holding around a hundred people hostage, as well as the remains of 30 others.