Hussein Hoballah
Anew, May has been special, regaining glory that could’ve been wasted by normalisation with Israel, by conspiracy and treason, or even by labelling as “anti-Semitic” any criticism of Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights or any boycott of products of settlements built on occupied Palestinian lands. Allegations of anti-Semitism, some of which have been proved false, are now being used to distract the world from the Palestinians’ suffering and to defame the big rallies held in Canadian cities to protest the Israeli invaders’ violations.
In May 2021, the aggressors were again defeated. An earlier defeat was in May 2000. Those facts compensate for the disgrace of the 1948 Nakba, which has set the ground for all kinds of tragedies, wars and bloodshed befalling the Palestinians and neighbouring regions and peoples…
In May 2000, the Lebanese eventually expelled the invaders who’d occupied Lebanese lands for long. The Zionist invaders, in the first place, had been trying to destroy the Palestinian resistance ahead of annexing wider lands. Back then, the invaders recruited Lebanese spies who rushed to accomplish Israeli policies and humiliate any Lebanese opposing the invaders and their plots.
But the Lebanese were never eventually subdued; the unarmed opposers paralleled the military resistance, fighting the invaders back with boiling oil. On May 25th, 2000, the assailants and spies were forced to withdraw, utterly humiliated, defeated and panicky.
Twenty years later now, Palestinian glory is regained in spite of the ruthless power that shows no mercy to children or the elderly, and that realises no difference between hospitals, schools, media offices and military offices and combatants. To Israel, all are enemies that must be exterminated, and their territories and rights must be seized, and that’s confirmed by the Israeli course of action.
Others were trying to subdue the Palestinians, too. What had once been done in Lebanon was this time being exercised with slight differences; cowards among Palestinians and spy puppets were spreading hopelessness, claiming that Palestinians were too weak to regain their stolen lands and violated rights and dignity.
Some Arab states have as well done a lot to besiege the resistance and undermine its line of action. They have also tried to tempt the resistance to give up on fighting the occupiers.
The greater majority of the world has been so strongly backing the occupiers that criticism of Israel’s violations of Palestinians’ rights is now forbidden. Even boycotting the products of the settlements built on Palestinian lands is now considered “anti-Semitic”, and defending Palestinians is perceived as a “wrongdoing”. This is today’s reality, be it in Canada, the other Western countries or the Arab ones. It looks like the West and the Arab worlds are collaborating to make the same stances, targeting Palestinians to make them forget their lands and rights.
This year, the Palestinians defeated the Israeli destruction mechanism, in addition to the plot to confiscate additional Palestinian territories and to finalise occupying East Jerusalem. Furthermore, Palestinians brought, in May, global attention to their rightful cause after they’ve been displaced from their lands. Surprising all observers, masses of the free-willed of the world, be they in Canada or elsewhere, have hurried to stand by Palestinians. That, in addition to the Palestinians’ great perseverance and unwavering resistance, has forced the aggressors to rethink their plans and halt their war. Earlier, the aggressors had been trying to terrify peoples and subdue them in hopes of destroying any opposition reminding the world of their invasion.
Quite overwhelming it has been to see tens of thousands of Canada’s Muslim/Arab community members come together from all provinces to support Palestinians. Thence, pro-Israelis have found no means to divert attention from that but to accuse the pro-Palestinian community and champions of human rights of anti-Semitism. Making use of some recent street fights, they’ve been trying to diminish the unprecedented sympathy shown to Palestinians in all Canadian cities this time.
Not missing a single chance, pro-Israelis have condemned, without inquiry, incidents like Saturday’s; a day after the rally held on May 15th, a social-media video showed a group of people, some of whom were dressed up in Palestinian flags, beating a man with a flagpole. Soon, politicians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative leader Erin O’Toole, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, and Toronto Mayor John Tory, commented on the post, calling the incident “anti-Semitic” before probing into what had actually happened.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims says that “many politicians, commentators and journalists have jumped to a conclusion depending on the opening video shots rather than waiting for an independent review. NCCM believes that all of us have a role to play in fighting Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and any form of street violence, but it is essential that our political leaders and media exercise honest reporting and commentating”.
A CBC investigation published later concerning the fight that broke during the Nakba Day protest in Toronto shows that new shots revealed different information: The old man apparently being hit by pro-Palestinians has turned out to be a man waving a weapon. CBC as well points out he belongs to the Canadian chapter of the Jewish Defence League, which is blacklisted by the US.
Any attack targeting peaceful protesters is absolutely condemned, no matter who the attackers are. Likewise, attacking or insulting the Jews of Montreal or any other city is completely unacceptable; any perpetrators must be tried in court, no matter who they are. As the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states, free speech must be guaranteed. Any assailants targeting peaceful rallies must as well be punished, as state Canadian laws.
Simultaneously, any absurd attempts to use such incidents to demonise pro-Palestinian rallies and distract attention from the real problem - Israel’s invasion and perpetrations in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood and other Palestinian regions - is absolutely condemned, too, whoever the doers are.
This year’s May has brought hope to all champions of freedom and justice of the world, and none can hide that. The month has also inspired Canadian champions of human rights and the displaced Palestinians. So will this set the ground for the recovery of Palestinian lands and for free speech that won’t be falsely libelled?