A Palestinian half buried in rubble in Gaza signals to rescuers. As Israeli missiles pound Gaza, Palestinians everywhere seem more united in their determination to resist than ever. A nation-wide strike by Palestinians living every part of historic Palestine (West Bank, Jerusalem, Gaza and inside Israel) has been called by civil society organizations. It is endorsed by all the main Palestinian political organizations including Hamas and Fateh. Because it is planned to be a non-violent demonstration of national unity it will be a challenge to Israel. It will also be a challenge to Canada. Read more.

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Israeli border police officers arrest a Palestinian demonstrator as they suppress protests in East Jerusalem, Friday, May 7. 2021 using the kneeling-on-neck technique that killed George Floyd last year. Two weeks ago, twelve high level Canadian Christian leaders representing many church denominations signed an open letter to Foreign Minister Marc Garneau demanding that Canada publicly condemn the evictions from, and demolitions of, Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem. Read more….

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Archbishop Murray Chatlain of Keewatin-Le Pas in Manitoba is one of many Canadian Church leaders who has made laudable efforts to get Canadians to recognize the pain and suffering imposed on indigenous Canadians as a result of our colonial past.  It is time for the Catholic Church and other Canadian Churches to begin to address Canada’s role with respect to another injustice – one which continues to cause pain and suffering for millions of Palestinians. Read more…

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OFIP Chair Peter Larson (left) and OFIP Advisory Council member (and former senior CBC correspondent) David Halton, have written an open letter to CBC Chair Michael Goldbloom and CBC President Catherine Tait, questioning CBC’s reluctance to report on credible investigations critical of Israel. They argue that the national public broadcaster is not fulfilling its mandate to “inform” Canadians. Read more…

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The Etzl Museum on Jaffa beach commemorates the “Liberation of Jaffa”. According to the museum’s educational displays, under leader Menachem Begin (later Prime Minister of Israel), the Etzl militia forces started driving out Arabs on November 30, 1947, the day after the UN partition vote. By that vote, however, Jaffa was not supposed to be part of the new Jewish State at all. To this day, Israel continues to expel Palestinians from East Jerusalem. Canadian Voices for Palestinian Rights is organizing a webinar on May 15th with Israeli Professor Ilan Pappe to commemorate the Nakba Day…. Read more and sign up…

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