Palestine solidarity events in St. John’s to continue until there is a ceasefire

“The people, united, will never be defeated!” rang out over Water Street in St. John’s on Saturday. Palestinian solidarity events have been taking place in St. John’s every weekend since Oct. 15, 2023.

Organized by a grassroots group called Palestine Solidarity Action NL, the weekly rallies will continue until there is a ceasefire, according to organizer Carmella Gray-Cosgrove. 

On Jan. 14, nearly 200 people marched in St. John’s to demand a ceasefire and an end to what many say amounts to genocide in Gaza at the hands of Israel.

“Our purpose is to try and put pressure on our government,” Gray-Cosgrove explained.

As of Jan. 16, according to Al Jazeera, more than 24,100 Palestinians–including almost 10,000 children–have been killed since Oct. 7, when Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel. More than 61,000 Palestinians are reported injured, while around 1,200 Israelis have been killed and more than 8,700 injured. 

South Africa’s genocide case against Israel

Earlier this month, South Africa made its case to the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of committing genocide in its military operations in Gaza. The Jan. 11-12 hearings in The Hague are now followed by a waiting period that some say could take up to a year.

Hours after Israel argued its defense at the ICJ, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada’s support for the ICJ does not mean Canada supports “the premise” of South Africa’s case against Israel. “Justin Trudeau has come out against the international criminal court case, being brought by South Africa,” explained organizer John Harris, executive director of external affairs with Memorial University’s student union. “And this is shameful, as Canadians we like to think of ourselves as peacemakers, and right now we are actively waging war.”

Trudeau’s statement, which was echoed by Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, left many confused for days about Canada’s position. On Monday, the government clarified its position and said that “Canada will abide by all ruling arising from South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the ICJ.”

Israel’s assault on journalists 

Saturday’s rally began with speeches from Palestine Solidarity NL member Zayd Khraishi and journalist Rhea Rollmann highlighting the number of journalists killed since Hamas’ attack on Israel, Oct. 7, 2023. 

“[Journalists] are the ones who are gathering the evidence that will form the basis of… the case against Israel at the International Court of Justice,” explained Khraishi.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists’ most recent data, at least 83 journalists and media workers have been confirmed dead, with 16 reported injured, three missing, and 25 arrested. 

“Journalists are responsible for showing the world what is happening in Gaza and are being targeted as witnesses to the ethnic cleansing,” said Khraishi. “Palestinian journalists and citizens are putting themselves in the line of fire to do vitally important work reporting the facts on the ground.

“It is clear that journalists and media infrastructure are being specifically targeted by Israel,” he added.

🛑 #Israel must break its pattern of impunity in cases of journalists killed by the Israel Defense Forces #IDF and investigate killings and other attacks on journalists during the ongoing war.

Read our full statement here: https://t.co/1nvw8uhc1k pic.twitter.com/8WFYNuu1FP

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) January 17, 2024

“I think that’s a real sign of the scale of the Israeli genocide in Gaza,” said Rollmann, who is a regular contributor to The Independent.

“But there’s one voice we have not heard loudly enough, and that is the voice of western journalists,” she added. “We need western journalists to do better and to use their position and their voices to draw attention to the target on their colleagues in Palestine, and the genocide of all Palestinians.”

Family from Gaza hopes to reunite in Newfoundland

Marilyn and Miran Kasken are from Gaza. They spoke at the rally. With the help of organizers, they have started a fundraiser to help bring their brothers Fahed and Talal out of Gaza and to Newfoundland. 

“When the IRCC [Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada] announced that they won’t be covering any of the travel expenses, or healthcare or mental care or settling in Canada, we decided that our only option is to create this fundraiser to help us getting my brothers out of Gaza, and to cover their mental health and healthcare expenses,” Marilyn Kasken explained.

In December, IRCC announced special measures for family members in Gaza, including 1,000 temporary resident visas. Canada has also offered $60 million in funding for humanitarian assistance to the crisis in Gaza and the West Bank. 

Harris believes that 1,000 visas for family reunification is not enough. “Because you have families here competing with other families to bring their loved ones to safety. A thousand is not enough; we can and we should be doing more.”

Marilyn Kasken told the crowd at Saturday’s protest about the passing of her uncle in Gaza. “My uncle was getting water so his baby son could have milk, and his old mother could have water,” she said. “When filling our water tank he was shot and killed by an Israeli sniper.

“My uncle was killed before he could see his son’s first steps or hear his son’s first words. His children are never going to talk to their father, to know his love.

“Israel has turned my home and my country into a graveyard. How many more Palestinians have to die before a permanent ceasefire? How many more children must be orphaned before a permanent ceasefire?”

Despite living in Newfoundland since October, Kasken lives in constant fear.

“I’m afraid every second that I’m gonna lose another family member just just like I did before with my cousin and my uncle during this genocide,” she told The Independent.

Kasken hopes that Canada will call for an immediate ceasefire and advocate for lifting the blockade over Gaza. She also hopes Canada will allow aid into Gaza and that Canada will support South Africa’s case. 

Canada has supported the UN resolution calling for a ceasefire but has also consistently stated that “Israel has the right to defend itself.” 

Response to Canada’s actions

“Our government still hasn’t called for a ceasefire,” said Gray-Cosgrove. “Our MPs, Joanne Thompson, Seamus O’Regan, Gudie Hutchings have not personally called for a ceasefire.”

“To have absolute radio silence from all of our MPs, as Newfoundlanders, is really disappointing,” said Harris.

In October, Canada deployed 300 members of the armed forces to Israel. According to the Department of National Defense, the special force members are helping Canada’s embassy with “contingency planning.”

In December, an arms control group also urged Canada to stop the sale of arms to Israel. According to Project Ploughshares, Canada has supplied military components to the United States, which have then been supplied to the Israel Defense Forces. “These Canadian-made components include some integrated into the Israeli F-35I Joint Strike Fighter, which has reportedly been utilized in the ongoing bombardment of Gaza,” the report says.

“The Government of Canada can make an arms embargo, they can take sanction measures,” said Gray-Cosgrove. “It is possible you know, the government can do those things, and it’s choosing actively not to.”

Palestinian solidarity continues in Newfoundland 

Gray-Cosgrove explained Palestine Solidarity Action NL “grew out of a bunch of us seeing that our Newfoundland and Labrador members of parliament and government representatives were not taking any action to represent our demands and desires.”

Over the course of a dozen protests so far, “we’ve seen thousands of people from all walks of life, from students, from people from Palestine, to people from Newfoundland,” Harris explained. “It’s been amazing to see just how diverse the support is.”

“As a Jewish person witnessing this happening to Palestinian people at the hand of the State of Israel, in the name of Jewish people, is really disturbing for me on a personal level,” Gray-Cosgrove added. 

“It’s so beautiful to witness the sort of solidarity and community that’s grown out of this movement here. It’s something I’ve never experienced,” she added. “The really inspiring thing that we’ve seen is actually just the level of community that’s been built” since the start of the movement. 

The group plans to continue protesting every weekend until there is a ceasefire.