Pax Christi Toronto is committed to active Non-Violence, Thus, Justice for Palestine, and peace between Palestine-Israel is of great importance to us and has guided our advocacy on this issue.
Prayer
God of Justice, we pray that the nations of the world will no longer stand idly by, but uphold the rights of the oppressed in Gaza, the West Bank, and around the globe. We, the peoples of many lands, “reaffirm [our] faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small.”
The Canadian Friends of Sabeel is committed to standing in solidarity with Palestinians and raising awareness in Canada of the struggle of Palestinian Christians, while joining all people in Palestine and Israel striving for peace with justice toward reconciliation.
Pax Christi Toronto is involved in promoting and supporting the following organizations, and attending events, and activities.
No Israeli Arms for Canada
Send a letter to the Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra, the Minister responsible for Procurement, Filomena Tassi, and the Minister of Defence, Anita Anand.
Other Happenings/Resources
Just Peace Advocates is a Canadian based independent human rights organization promoting Just Peace/Paix Juste through the rule of law and respect for human rights in Canada and around the world for the Palestinian people and those that stand in solidarity for the human rights of the Palestinian people. Just Peace Advocates also has a specific focus on the realization of the self-determination of the people of Kashmir. https://www.justpeaceadvocates.ca/
Jeff Halper is an Israeli and co-founder of the ‘Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions’, has written a number of books, the latest one being Decolonizing Israel, Liberating Palestine. https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745343396/decolonizing-israel-liberating-palestine/
Youth in Israel are refusing to serve in the Israeli army. They are conscripted after Grade 12. More and more are protesting and refusing to participate. They are jailed and ostracized. After 90 days or so in jail they can be recognized as conscientious objectors.
There is an outpouring of support for Palestinian rights and for The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement vs the apartheid state. On May 27, 2021, over 600 musicians issued an open letter in support of Palestinian rights and encouraged others to join in, refusing to perform at Israel’s complicit cultural institutions. https://musiciansforpalestine.com/
Over 680 global sector leaders from 75 countries are calling on President Biden to honour his commitments and protect Palestinian human rights. https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/6/19/dear-president-biden-you-need-to-act-on-palestine
Canada needs to free itself from being muzzled by NATO allegiances. Human rights group Breaking the Silence and others have spoken out about Israeli Defence Force (IDF) invasions of Palestinian homes in the dead of night. Civil society was a major factor in the IDF ending these raids. https://www.breakingthesilence.org.il/
Al Araqeeb is a Palestinian village in the Negev where Bedouin villages have been declared ‘unrecognized’. In 2010 when the people refused to move, Israel came in and bulldozed the village. Since then, it has been destroyed 190 times and the people keep coming back. https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210707-israel-razes-palestinian-village-for-the-190th-t ime/
Sumud, meaning steadfastness or steadfast perseverance/persistent resistance, is a Palestinian cultural value, ideological theme and political strategy that first emerged among the Palestinian people in the wake of the 1967 Six-Day War. It represents Palestinian endurance and resistance to Israeli policy. https://www.dailysabah.com/feature/2018/04/04/palestinian-culture-of-sumud
The Jewish National Fund in Canada fundraises for Israel. Independent Jewish Voices, IJV are fighting against this, questioning why the JNF has charitable status in Canada when they are invested in apartheid in Israel. Petitions have been circulated. https://springmag.ca/forcing-jnf-canada-to-rebrand-is-an-anti-racist-victory
Recent Webinars
“Yes Canada Arms & Funds Israel” January 5, 2022. 1 hour 45 minutes. You can watch here
The Two-State Solution Is Dead, Now What? January 13, 2022. 1.5 hours Watch here.
“Despite the fact that almost every knowledgeable observer acknowledges privately that the two-state solution has no chance whatsoever, the language of two-state solution continues to predominate.” “Why is it that the language of two-state solution survives?” Jonathan Kuttab, Beyond The Two-State Solution. Watch here.