The Canada Palestine Association condemns the Canadian government’s banning of Samidoun, a pro-Palestinian advocacy group. This move was done in conjunction with the US government and followed years of aggressive Zionist lobbying. It also represented “cheap politics” on the part of the current Liberal government, pandering to a right wing agenda and trying to score political points by literally squashing civil and democratic rights.
For over a year, the Canadian government has not taken any serious actions against the Israeli TERRORISM, war crimes and genocide being carried out against the Palestinian and Lebanese people. But instead of criminalizing those forces who are actually burning people alive in Gaza, this government chose to put yet another Palestinian group on its “terrorist list”. And this time, they are setting a dangerous precedent by banning an independent Palestinian political advocacy group with no organizational affiliations to any Palestinian resistance groups.
The Israeli government and its array of lobby groups have clearly been behind these listings; their main objective is to supress any solidarity work for Palestinian liberation and supress criticism of the Zionist settler colonialist project (Israel).
Repression against advocates for Palestine is steadily increasing across Canada, from arrests by local police forces to unfounded smears by provincial and federal politicians. But as CPA Chair Hanna Kawas said in a recent interview: “We’re going to keep the solidarity work (alive) and the support work for Palestinian liberation and for Palestinian resistance organizations, whether they like it or not.”
We must continue to stand with the Palestinian people and not be intimidated with government edicts; lets show true internationalist solidarity with Palestinian advocacy and liberation and show that anti-Palestinian racism has no place in Canada or anywhere else.
Join the campaign to force Scotiabank to complete their divestment from Elbit and all other companies that support Israeli war crimes, occupation and the colonization of Palestine.
On October 2, activists across the Lower Mainland in BC disrupted business as usual for genocide-enabler Scotiabank and its global asset fund. Leading up to the week of action entitled RESISTING GENOCIDE: BOYCOTT FOR PALESTINIAN LIBERATION, protestors confirmed their resolve to not rest until Scotiabank and all complicit entities are forced to divest from genocide.
CPA Chair Hanna Kawas delves into Canada’s “terrorist list” and how the Zionist lobby was instrumental in having Palestinian and Lebanese resistance groups banned as such. Both the U.S. and Canadian governments are quick to remind us that they have designated these groups are “terrorist entities”, as they justify Israel’s extrajudicial assassinations that also murder hundreds (perhaps thousands) of civilians. This presentation was part of the Right to Resist Meeting held May 8 in Vancouver, highlighting the repression globally and in Canada of pro-Palestine advocacy.
