Palestine Debrief

Canada’s reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last week has been prompt, forceful and wide-ranging.  But there are obvious similarities between Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and Israel’s aggression against the Palestinians, raising questions about the consistency of Canada’s foreign policy.  In this episode, Tom and Michael examine Canada’s response to Russia’s invasion, and explore the double-standard evident in how it responds to Israel’s violence, occupation, and annexation against Palestinians. If you can, rate us and write a nice review if you like what you hear. It helps other people find our podcast and learn about the issues. Here are the instructions on how to find, rate, review and share the podcast on eight different platforms: Apple, Spotify, Google, TuneIn, Deezer, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and iHeartRadio. Continue reading

In 2019, the NDP removed Rana Zaman as a federal election candidate over her tweets defending Palestinians during the 2018 Gaza March of Return. Although Rana took responsibility for the comments she made, and although she was approved to run for the Greens in 2021, she continues to face attempts to ostracize her from the public conversation. Rana joins the conversation today to talk about her experiences as a community activist and political candidate. If you can, rate us and write a nice review if you like what you hear. It helps other people find our podcast and learn about the issues. Here are the instructions on how to find, rate, review and share the podcast on eight different platforms: Apple, Spotify, Google, TuneIn, Deezer, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and iHeartRadio. Continue reading

Even before Amnesty published its report on Israeli Apartheid, Canada’s pro-Israel groups were dismissing it as antisemitic. But what are they saying now? Yesterday, CJPME ‘infiltrated’ CIJA’s “Has Amnesty International Lost its Way?” webinar to hear whether Amnesty’s report had caused any serious reflection among Israel’s supporters. Unfortunately, the session was an echo chamber of denial and dismissal. In this episode, Tom and Michael respond to the ludicrous claims and misinformation presented in this recent anti-Amnesty webinar.  If you can, rate us and write a nice review if you like what you hear. It helps other people find our podcast and learn about the issues. Here are the instructions on how to find, rate, review and share the podcast on eight different platforms: Apple, Spotify, Google, TuneIn, Deezer, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and iHeartRadio. Continue reading

Many Canadians contemplate running for political office one day. But what if supporting Palestinian human rights automatically disqualifies you from running for a political party? Newmarket education advocate Shameela Shakeel thought she’d be a great fit as a nominee for the Liberal Party in Ontario’s May election. But despite her long-time community activism for public education and her deep roots in the riding, in the eyes of the Ontario Liberal Party, her support for Palestinian human rights seems to have been a disqualifying issue. Shameela joins the conversation today to talk about her experiences. If you can, rate us and write a nice review if you like what you hear. It helps other people find our podcast and learn about the issues. Here are the instructions on how to find, rate, review and share the podcast on eight different platforms: Apple, Spotify, Google, TuneIn, Deezer, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and iHeartRadio. Continue reading

Earlier this week, Amnesty International published a landmark study concluding that Israel maintains an apartheid regime of oppression and domination over the Palestinian people as a whole. To dive further into this report, Michael and Tom are joined by Nihad Ben Salah of Amnistie internationale canada francophone, who shares with us insight into the motivations behind this report, and what it will mean for Amnesty’s work going forward. If you can, rate us and write a nice review if you like what you hear. It helps other people find our podcast and learn about the issues. Here are the instructions on how to find, rate, review and share the podcast on eight different platforms: Apple, Spotify, Google, TuneIn, Deezer, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and iHeartRadio. Continue reading

In a well-research new report published today, Amnesty International has concluded that Israel maintains an “apartheid” regime of oppression and domination over the Palestinian people as a whole. Tom and Michael discuss their initial reactions to the report, and consider how Canada might respond. If you can, rate us and write a nice review if you like what you hear. It helps other people find our podcast and learn about the issues. Here are the instructions on how to find, rate, review and share the podcast on eight different platforms: Apple, Spotify, Google, TuneIn, Deezer, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and iHeartRadio. Continue reading

The past year has seen a series of incidents which highlight the Toronto District School Board’s compulsion to muzzle Palestinian perspectives.  In this episode, Tom, Michael and long-time TDSB equity veteran Tim McCaskell explore several shocking instances of anti-Palestinian racism – from the 1980s to present day.  What is the TDSB’s decades-long history of silencing Palestinian voices, what is behind it, and how can it be countered? If you can, rate us and write a nice review if you like what you hear. It helps other people find our podcast and learn about the issues. Here are the instructions on how to find, rate, review and share the podcast on eight different platforms: Apple, Spotify, Google, TuneIn, Deezer, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and iHeartRadio. Continue reading

Muslim Awareness Week (MAW) is a yearly week of solidarity and exchange where people are invited to learn about the achievements, contributions, aspirations and concerns of Quebecers of Muslim faith.  This year’s MAW marks the five-year anniversary of the tragic shooting on January 29, 2017 in a Quebec City mosque which left six Muslim-Canadians dead, and the first commemoration since the federal government reserved January 29 as a national day of remembrance and action against Islamophobia.  Today, long-time Quebec anti-Islamophobia activist Ehab Lotayef joins the conversation as we discuss what has and hasn’t changed in the last five years, and the ongoing need for MAW. If you can, rate us and write a nice review if you like what you hear. It helps other people find our podcast and learn about the issues. Here are the instructions on how to find, rate, review and share the podcast on eight different platforms: Apple, Spotify, Google, TuneIn, Deezer, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and iHeartRadio. Continue reading

Desmond Tutu dedicated much of his life to the abolition of Apartheid in South Africa, but he was also a consistent campaigner against injustice everywhere, including in Palestine. Following his passing in December, Western leaders celebrated Tutu’s life, but largely ignored this aspect of his legacy.  Rev. Robert Assaly of Canadian Friends of Sabeel joins the conversation today as we talk about Desmond Tutu’s lifetime of solidarity with the Palestinians, and his willingness to talk openly about the glaring parallels between Apartheid in South Africa and Israel’s oppression of the Palestinians. If you can, rate us and write a nice review if you like what you hear. It helps other people find our podcast and learn about the issues. Here are the instructions on how to find, rate, review and share the podcast on eight different platforms: Apple, Spotify, Google, TuneIn, Deezer, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and iHeartRadio. Continue reading

While Palestinians, solidarity activists, and academics have been accurately describing Israel as an “Apartheid” state for many years, the number of prominent organizations and public figures willing to use this terminology increased dramatically in 2021. Will this trend continue in 2022? And what is Apartheid, anyway?  If you can, rate us and write a nice review if you like what you hear. It helps other people find our podcast and learn about the issues. Here are the instructions on how to find, rate, review and share the podcast on eight different platforms: Apple, Spotify, Google, TuneIn, Deezer, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and iHeartRadio. Continue reading