I’m fired up. Growing up in Lebanon, I’ve seen and heard a lot about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and it’s high time we address something that’s been festering for way too long. Canada needs to sever its ties with Israel, and Israel needs to get the hell out of occupied lands. Genocide is NOT okay. Not then, not now, not ever.
Let’s not sugarcoat it. We’re looking at over 75 years of systematic oppression of the Palestinian people. The massacre and violence that the Palestinians endure are real, and it’s relentless. The occupation, the illegal settlements, the daily humiliations—it’s genocide, plain and simple. And no matter how you slice it, supporting a regime that perpetuates such suffering is complicit in that injustice.
The recent visit by Knesset member Sharren Haskel to Ottawa was full of talk about betrayal and antisemitism, but let’s set the record straight. Canada’s lack of full-throated support for Israel lately isn’t a betrayal; it’s a long-overdue shift towards recognizing the human rights abuses that are happening on the ground in Palestine. The October 7 terror attacks were horrific, but they do not justify the blanket oppression of an entire population.
Look, anti-Israel protests are growing for a reason. They’re not about antisemitism—they’re about human lives being bulldozed, literally and metaphorically, by an occupying force that has lost its moral compass. These protests are cries for justice for Palestinians, whose voices are so often drowned out by political spin.
The way Canada has been conducting itself isn’t perfect, sure. Resuming financial support for UNRWA without stringent checks, especially given the alleged connections to Hamas, raises valid concerns. It’s a complex issue that needs serious oversight to ensure aid reaches those who genuinely need it. But we can’t forget that these complications don’t give Israel a free pass to continue its oppression.
What Haskel and others don’t want to acknowledge is that the occupation and systemic abuse must end. We can’t let the international community remain silent or complicit. Canada, renewing financial aid to agencies like UNRWA, needs to ensure that aid genuinely assists the Palestinian people rather than being misused. But more importantly, we need to grasp the bigger picture: Israel’s continued occupation and military aggression is what fuels radicalization and violence. It’s a cycle of oppression that creates more terror and more tragedy.
Enough is enough. For too long, excuses and political hedging have allowed this horror to perpetuate. Canada needs to take a firm, unequivocal stand for human rights and justice. It’s time to cut all ties with Israel until they withdraw from occupied territories and end their brutal oppression of the Palestinian people.
Our silence is complicity. By continuing to support or tolerate this regime, we are endorsing daily human rights violations and systematic genocide. We need to amplify our voices and push our government to act decisively.
The path forward includes supporting the right of Palestinians to self-determination and a sovereign state. It involves international pressure on Israel to comply with international laws and human rights standards. And it means recognizing that peace can only come when justice prevails.
Let’s remember this: No state, no matter how powerful or historically significant, has the right to oppress another people. Israel must face the reality of its actions and choose the path of peace and justice. Ending the occupation is the first step.
To my fellow Canadians and to all who believe in human rights and justice – let’s stand united and demand an end to this inhumanity. Genocide is NOT OKAY. It’s time to act.
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