Condemn Israeli state violence against Palestinian civilians and suspend Canadian arms sales to the State of Israel
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
As Canadian Jews, we strongly condemn the bombings, displacement, and other forms of violence targeting Palestinians in East Jerusalem, Gaza, and throughout Israel/Palestine. We know that Jewish safety cannot be built on top of Palestinian oppression. That’s why we are issuing a petition to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau demanding that the Canadian government:
Condemn Israeli state violence against Palestinian civilians
Halt Canadian arms sales to the State of Israel
We need to show Trudeau that Canadian Jews do not support Israeli aggression, and we ask our Jewish supporters to add their name to this statement.
Since this petition is specifically to demonstrate Jewish opposition to Israeli state violence, we ask our non-Jewish supporters to show their support by signing similar petitions by Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East or other organizations.
Thank you for your support,
IfNotNow Toronto
Sponsored by
To:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
From:
[Your Name]
As Canadian Jews, we strongly condemn the bombings, displacement, and other forms of violence targeting Palestinians in East Jerusalem, Gaza, and throughout Israel/Palestine. This includes harassment and physical violence against Palestinians in East Jerusalem from Jewish settlers and Israeli police. These violent actions are part of an ongoing effort to force Palestinians out of East Jerusalem, to develop more illegal Jewish settlements, and to undermine the path towards peace, reconciliation, and a shared future of freedom and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians.
The Canadian Jewish community must recognize that safety for the Jewish community cannot be built on top of Palestinian oppression. We have a responsibility to look these atrocities in the eye and demand that our political leaders take action to make them end.
This past week, Israeli military actions have killed over 220 Palestinians, while mobs of far-right Israelis attacked Palestinians in the streets. As Jews, we condemn this state-sanctioned violence and mob-fueled destruction. Both must stop immediately.
Canada supports this violence through its unconditional diplomatic support of the State of Israel, and specifically through the sale of arms. It is unconscionable that Canada continues to authorise weapons sales to Israel while Israeli bombs are killing civilians in Gaza. Suspending the sale of military weapons would send an important message. We call on the federal government to support NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s call to halt Canadian arms sales to Israel. As Singh stated on May 12, "by arming one side of the conflict it is undermining the peace process and it is supporting illegal occupation."
As Canadian Jews, we cannot remain silent while our federal politicians and Jewish institutional leaders continue to offer unconditional support for Israel, and refuse to condemn or even acknowledge the violence of occupation and apartheid.". We add our voices to the chorus of Jews within Israel and across the diaspora speaking out against the evictions of Palestinians from their homes and the deadly violence against civilians in Gaza.
Stop the forced evictions in Sheikh Jarrah. Stop the unnecessary loss of civilian lives.
We demand an end to bombings, evictions, home demolitions, and illegal Israeli settlements across all of Israel/Palestine. The road to peace cannot be achieved through eviction, annexation, and apartheid. We stand in solidarity with Palestinians experiencing violence and call on our community across both Turtle Island and Israel/Palestine to reject these acts, purportedly carried out in our name. We call on the Canadian government to condemn Israeli state violence against Palestinian civilians and suspend Canadian arms sales to the State of Israel.