In the past week, clashes between Israeli and Palestinian supporters occurred in Canadian cities, especially in two of the largest, Toronto and Montreal. Palestinian protests occurred primarily as a result of the most recent conflict over religious sites in the old city of Jerusalem. However, the ongoing strife is decades old and is centered in Gaza, with its two million Palestinians, and where the radical group Hamas is situated. It has been seven years since the last significant conflict with Hamas, and 16 since the last major Palestinian uprising, or intifada. In addition, the level of destruction and loss of life in Gaza has underlined the humanitarian challenge in the enclave, already suffering under the weight of an indefinite blockade by Israel and Egypt even before the latest conflict. Past wars and the blockade, according to a report last year by the United Nations, have left Gaza with “the world’s highest unemployment rate” and more than half of its population living below the poverty line. Then there are the planned Israeli expulsions of Palestinians from their homes in Jerusalem. There is also Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu whose government has been complacent, nurtured by more than a decade of right-wing governments that treated Palestinian demands for equality and statehood as a problem to be contained, not resolved. His argument for bombing Gaza sites is that Israel has a right to defend itself from rockets launched by Hamas into Israel.
The current military clashes between Hamas in Gaza and Israel have resulted in losses on both sides. They have led to the worst violence between Israelis and Palestinians in years – not only in the conflict with Hamas. At last count, they have killed at least 149 people in Gaza and 10 in Israel, as well as a wave of mob attacks in mixed Arab-Jewish cities in Israel itself. It is estimated that more than 1,000 Gazans have been wounded in the Israeli offensive, and hospitals and clinics have been damaged, including the only clinic dispensing much needed COVID-19 tests and vaccines. Needless-to-say, it can be understood why emotions are running high among pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli groups in Canada.
Montreal and Toronto in particular have fairly large communities of Jews and Palestinians. Unfortunately, protests by supporters in both communities have resulted in some violence and subsequent arrests of protesters. In addition, Canadian Jewish leaders now warn of potential spike in anti-Semitic violence not seen since the last round of Gazan violence in 2014. The political temperature seems higher, some blaming this as the result of the presence of much more prominent anti-Israeli rhetoric on social media. Of course, the mayors of both cities, Quebec’s and Ontario’s premiers and the Prime Minister condemned any violence associated with the protests as being unacceptable. The PM condemned the “despicable rhetoric and violence we saw on display in some protests this weekend.” However, one must expect that existing groups promoting anti-Semitism will increase their attacks on social media and in the streets. I do trust nonetheless that the vast majority of Palestinian and Jewish Canadians believe in our democratic values and especially in peaceful protest. While the issues are particularly emotional to both groups, one can only hope that their reactions will be more moderate and non-violent. Every Canadian has the right to express their views in a respectful and peaceful manner, without spewing hatred on-line or elsewhere. Cooler heads need to prevail!
FROLITICKS 