Faced with the rise in violence but also in powerlessness, Québec solidaire is asking the Minister of International Relations, Martine Biron, to release emergency funds to help the Palestinians caught in Gaza. In addition to sending her a letter, the solidarity MP for Mercier, Ruba Ghazal, had a brief meeting with the minister in which she reiterated her wish to see Quebec loosen the purse strings. “Quebec has already done it for Lebanon, Haiti, Ukraine, Morocco,” recalled Mr.me Ghazal. “It would be the least we can do when we see the humanitarian catastrophe that is unfolding. »
Mme Ghazal says she is inundated with calls and messages from citizens of all origins who feel helpless in the face of the crisis. “People feel challenged, they ask if they can do something, if there is a petition…” said the MP of Palestinian origin. “I find it important that in the National Assembly and in Quebec we hear this voice of Quebecers who want the government that represents them to respond to this call for help. »
More precisely, Mme Ghazal asked the minister to help the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip through the emergency aid component of the Quebec International Development Program. “This aid program exists. These are not astronomical sums but in addition to giving help [humanitaire] concrete, [ce serait aussi] a symbolic action. »
A PQ MP attacked on X
Ruba Ghazal is not the only one calling for humanitarian aid in Gaza. His counterpart from the Parti Québécois, Pierre Paradis, spoke publicly on »
This did not please the Advisory Center on Jewish and Israeli Relations (CIJA), which accused him of lying and asked him to retract. “In his position, the MP lies when he says that Israel deliberately targets civilian populations and seems to suggest a negotiation with Hamas, a terrorist group which has just committed the largest massacre of Jews since 1945. We “We invite you to correct its position urgently,” declared Eta Yudin, vice-president for Quebec of the CIJA.
The member for Québec solidaire, Haroun Bouazzi, wanted to express his solidarity with Pascal Paradis, retorting on stands up for peace and against the massacre of civilians in Israel-Palestine. »
A sensible subject
Mme Ghazal, who also expressed his solidarity with Mr. Paradis, recognizes that we should not seek to “choose one side or the other, but rather choose the side of peace. »
She does not believe that the “sensitive” nature of the subject should prevent the Quebec government from drawing on its emergency fund to help civilians in Gaza, more than a million of whom are now internally displaced. “Before us, we do not just have Palestinians who have been caught in a historic conflict for 75 years, we are faced with children, with human beings, with innocent Palestinian civilians who must leave their homes,” she said. . “Humanitarian aid is arriving in trickles. There is no reason not to respond to the humanitarian appeal. »
In the office of the Minister of International Relations, Martine Biron, we said they were taking the time to analyze the request. Accompanied by the minister responsible for social services, Lionel Carmant, the minister will also make an announcement Friday morning about a plan to support Haiti.