More than 30 Kelowna 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 Kelowna Peace Group, began outside of Kelowna乌鸦传媒擫ake Country Conservative MP Tracy Gray乌鸦传媒檚 downtown office, where demonstrators passed around a Palestinian flag and shared why they decided to attend the rally.
乌鸦传媒淭his last Thursday (May 13), it was the end of Ramadan. It should乌鸦传媒檝e been a celebration. I was crying the whole week before,乌鸦传媒� said demonstrator Soumia Bentefrit. 乌鸦传媒淚 open the TV; it wasn乌鸦传媒檛 Eid. It wasn乌鸦传媒檛 a celebration. Can you imagine? I乌鸦传媒檓 here and I乌鸦传媒檓 crying. Can you imagine people over there, how are they feeling?乌鸦传媒�
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乌鸦传媒檚 office building. Demonstrators flashed pro-Palestine signs and waved flags while uttering chants such as 乌鸦传媒淲e want peace. Where? In the Middle East.乌鸦传媒�
According to Kelowna Peace Group organizer and member Mark Haley, meeting outside of Gray乌鸦传媒檚 office was an act of condemnation against her party乌鸦传媒檚 leader, Erin O乌鸦传媒橳oole, condemning Palestinian combatants while labelling Israel as a long-standing and important ally.
乌鸦传媒淚f Israel has a right (to defend) themselves, why don乌鸦传媒檛 the Palestinians have the right to defend themselves?乌鸦传媒� 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 乌鸦传媒渘ational home乌鸦传媒� 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 Kelowna coincided with the 73rd anniversary of Nakba Day. Hundreds of other similar solidarity demonstrations were hosted around the globe.
乌鸦传媒淵ou乌鸦传媒檒l never win with bombs and rockets. You乌鸦传媒檒l never win with force and military power,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淧eople乌鸦传媒檚 will will prevail.乌鸦传媒�
Another solidarity event in Kelowna 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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