More than 30 琉璃神社 residents of all ages and backgrounds participated in a solidarity march and rally for Palestine on May 15, where demonstrators condemned the violence against Palestinians and called on the federal government to stop selling weapons to Israel.
The event, organized by the 琉璃神社 Peace Group, began outside of 琉璃神社鈥擫ake Country Conservative MP Tracy Gray鈥檚 downtown office, where demonstrators passed around a Palestinian flag and shared why they decided to attend the rally.
鈥淭his last Thursday (May 13), it was the end of Ramadan. It should鈥檝e been a celebration. I was crying the whole week before,鈥� said demonstrator Soumia Bentefrit. 鈥淚 open the TV; it wasn鈥檛 Eid. It wasn鈥檛 a celebration. Can you imagine? I鈥檓 here and I鈥檓 crying. Can you imagine people over there, how are they feeling?鈥�
After demonstrators made speeches, the group marched down St. Paul Street towards Bernard Avenue before looping back up to Ellis Street to Doyle Avenue and back to Gray鈥檚 office building. Demonstrators flashed pro-Palestine signs and waved flags while uttering chants such as 鈥淲e want peace. Where? In the Middle East.鈥�
According to 琉璃神社 Peace Group organizer and member Mark Haley, meeting outside of Gray鈥檚 office was an act of condemnation against her party鈥檚 leader, Erin O鈥橳oole, condemning Palestinian combatants while labelling Israel as a long-standing and important ally.
鈥淚f Israel has a right (to defend) themselves, why don鈥檛 the Palestinians have the right to defend themselves?鈥� said Haley.
dates back to the end of the First World War when Britain took control of the area known as Palestine after the Ottoman Empire was defeated.
Britain was then tasked with establishing a 鈥渘ational home鈥� in Palestine for Jewish people. Although inhabited by Palestinian Arabs and Jews, the latter claimed that the land is their ancestral home, while the former also claimed ownership and opposed the move.
In 1948, with the end of the British Mandate for Palestine, Jewish leaders declared the creation of the state of Israel on May 14. The next day, up to 750,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes. by Palestinians, also known as Memory of the Catastrophe.
According to the BBC, around five million Palestinians are currently recognized as refugees by the UN, where many live in Jordan, the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, and East Jerusalem.
The Israeli occupation and displacement of Palestinians have led to years of wars, protests, clashes and unrest. The latest escalation in the conflict began earlier this month, with that the death toll in Gaza amounting to nearly 200 after a surge in Israeli raids.
Haley acknowledged that the event in 琉璃神社 coincided with the 73rd anniversary of Nakba Day. Hundreds of other similar solidarity demonstrations were hosted around the globe.
鈥淵ou鈥檒l never win with bombs and rockets. You鈥檒l never win with force and military power,鈥� he said. 鈥淧eople鈥檚 will will prevail.鈥�
Another solidarity event in 琉璃神社 for Palestinians is scheduled for May 23, at Stuart Park at 2 p.m.
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aaron.hemens@kelownacapnews.com
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