A TALE OF TWO MAYORS

Edmonton mayor’s social media post on Middle East violence leads to debate

Story by Phil Heidenreich • GLOBAL NEWS

A 2019 file photo of Amarjeet Sohi.

© THE CANADIAN PRESS IMAGES/Lars Hagberg

Asocial media post from Edmonton's mayor about the ongoing violence in the Middle East this weekend has drawn sharp criticism as well as support.

"When events unfold across the globe, they can have a deep impact on people who live in our city," Amarjeet Sohi posted on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. "The attacks taking place in Israel and Gaza targeting innocent civilians are horrific.

"I know that many Edmontonians have friends and family in these areas, and I am extending my support and empathy to them. We stand with you and share in your hope for a just and lasting peace in the region."

Sohi's post came as people around the world continue to watch in horror as violence continues to escalate in the wake of a deadly attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

After crossing into Israel on Saturday, hundreds of Hamas gunmen spent hours gunning down civilians and kidnapping others in the country, according to The Associated Press. Palestinian militants also fired thousands of rockets at Israel.

Israel has since retaliated with airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and by sealing off the territory from food, fuel and other supplies. The Associated Press reported on Monday afternoon that the death toll had risen to nearly 1,600 on both sides.

Israel, whose right-wing government includes some ministers who oppose the idea of any Palestinian statehood, is facing calls to crush Hamas' military capability while Hamas says it is preparing for a long battle to end Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory.

Since Sohi posted his statement on social media Sunday afternoon, it has received hundreds of replies ranging from sharp criticism to outright support of his comments.

Duane Bratt, a professor of political science at Mount Royal University, said while many politicians in Canada have very clearly expressed their support for what they say is Israel's right to respond to the attack while also condemning Hamas' actions, some, like Sohi, "are playing a much more both sides issue."

"I think some of it is legitimate in the sense of they're looking at the repression of the Palestinian people for decades, going back to the 1947 war, or especially the creation of Gaza and the West Bank after the Yom Kippur War," he told Global News on Monday.

"And even though Israeli forces have left Gaza, ... it remains what Palestinians and their sympathizers call an open-air prison. They're basically blockading. There's a wall and a security perimeter preventing them from getting into Israel proper. They're surrounded by the Mediterranean (Sea) on one side and the Egyptian border on the other.

"The levels of poverty, the density of the population is horrendous. So there has been ongoing sympathy for the Palestinian people for a long period of time

However, Bratt said, "we need to separate that from Hamas."

"Hamas is a terror group. They're listed as a terror group by Canada and many other countries and so Hamas didn't come out Saturday and attack military installations and government installations in Israel — they targeted civilians and indiscriminately killed civilians."

Bratt said he believes Sohi is "trying to balance out the legitimate concerns of Palestine versus the atrocious terrorist attacks."

"But the problem is by playing that card they have alienated all groups," he said.

Global News reached out to Sohi's office on Monday to ask for an interview about the reaction to his statement on X. This article will be updated when we receive a response.

Adam Zepp, the community relations committee co-chair of the Jewish Federation of Edmonton, told Global News on Monday that he found Sohi's statement to be "unacceptable."

"I just think for an elected official in Canada to make a statement like that, it's disgusting," he said. "Anything that normalizes, that whitewashes, that forms any sort of equivalence — moral or otherwise — is extremely harmful.

"It was a terrorist attack on civilians."

The Jewish Federation of Edmonton announced it is holding a solidarity rally at Beth Israel Synagogue on Monday evening.

"We're a community in mourning," Zepp said, adding that since Israel is considered the homeland for Jews, many in his community feel like Hamas' attack was "against all of us."

On Sunday evening, a rally was held in Edmonton's Castle Downs Park to show support for Palestinians and to call for an end to the violence.

Mousa Qasqas was at the rally and spoke to Global News as the event got underway, saying he is a spokesperson for the Palestinian community in Edmonton.

"We here condemn terrorism and any killing of innocent civilians, but Israel doesn't do the same," he said. "Gaza is being bombed as we speak.

"The people of Gaza can't leave."

Qasqas cited international humanitarian laws and said they give Palestinians the right to fight against Israel to resist occupation. The Geneva Conventions lay out the rights of those resisting occupation but also underscore that civilians should not be targets of attack.

"The problem is the occupation itself," Qasqas said, adding he believes political leaders around the world are engaging in "selective condemnation" when it comes to violence involving Israelis and Palestinians, and that "the narrative in general has to change."

— with files from Global News' Sarah Reid and Kabi Moulitharan and The Associated Press' Josef Federman and Issam Adwan

'This is irresponsible from Olivia Chow': Toronto mayor criticized for 'wrongfully stopping peaceful' protest at Nathan Phillips Square

The mayor's message to not 'support terror' sparks conversation of equating all Palestinians with violence, crimes

Joy Joshi
·Writer, Yahoo News Canada
Tue, October 10, 2023

Councillor James Pasternak (second from left) tells the crowd to quiet down after they boo Mayor Olivia Chow as she takes the stage during a solidarity rally in Toronto, Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jessica Lee (The Canadian Press)

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow is being criticised for denouncing the pro-Palestinian rally that took place at Nathan Phillips Square on Thanksgiving in Toronto.

The demonstrations saw hundreds of people gather in the heart of the city to march peacefully and chant slogans while waving the Palestinian flag and signs following the surprise attack of Hamas on Israel that has now turned into an outright "war" as per the latter’s government.


The Toronto mayor issued a public statement condemning the rally and stating that the demonstrations were not authorized.

“The rally to support Hamas at Nathan Phillips Square today is unsanctioned, without a permit and I unequivocally denounce it. Glorifying this weekend’s indiscriminate violence, including murder and kidnapping of women and children, by Hamas against Israeli civilians is deplorable,” read Chow’s statement shared on X, formerly Twitter, under her official handle.

The post garnered the attention of various other users rather immediately, who were quick to point out that “there are no permits in Toronto for rallies.”

“Just to be clear: THERE ARE NO PERMITS IN TORONTO FOR RALLIES.There is no permit to apply for, no authority that can issue it, no application you can fill. Not even for private property. Olivia knows because Jack went to Supreme Court on this in 1984,” X user @hussask who likes to talk about migration, anti-colonialism and resistance posted online.

Another X user reaffirmed @hussask’s claim while calling out Mayor Chow for her stance on the Nathan Phillips Square rally.

“Toronto’s mayor is wrongfully trying to stop a peaceful, anti-apartheid rally at Nathan Philips Square today. she says no permits were obtained for a public space that, as per NPS website, does not need permits for “demonstrations, protests, and marches,” posted Huda Hassan, who is a writer and a media cultural studies professor at New York University as per her profile bio.

Yahoo News Canada can confirm the eligibility criteria listed under the Nathan Phillips Square booking section on City of Toronto’s website, disallows permits to be issued for demonstrations of similar nature as the one on Monday afternoon.

“Nathan Phillips Square is an event space and event permits are issued for cultural events only. Permits are not issued for commercial events, sampling activations, demonstrations, protests, vigils and marches,” the website reads.

Demonstration's labelling as 'pro Hamas' called short-sighted, 'fear-mongering'

While Mayor Chow's post became the target of many of her follower’s disapproval, some others also took issue with her labelling the rally as “pro Hamas.”

“Just because the Hamas are Palestinians doesn’t mean all Palestinians are Hamas. The Palestinian flag predates the Hamas. Hamas only exists because of the 75+ year humanitarian crisis that Palestinians have experienced because of the government of Israel,” posted On Canada Project Editor-in-Chief, Sam Krishnapillai on X.

Some Torontonians even accused Mayor Chow of making “fear-mongering” comments in light of recent events.

“As a member of the Jewish community I am deeply disappointed by the hateful, false and fear-mongering comments made by @MayorOliviaChow. There is no place for these offensive anti-Palestinian comments. I hope Mayor Chow retracts this ill-informed statement,” said White Jewish Settler Alisa Gayle on X.

Another social media user accused Chow of spreading wrong information on the matter.

“It’s a rally organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement in support of Palestinians civilians, not one in support of Hamas. This is blatantly wrong info from the Mayor,” said film critic James Mackin.

However, there were others who supported the Mayor’s stance on the issue.

“Anyone supporting and advocating for a designated terrorist organization must be arrested and charged whether it be in Europe, Canada, USA, Australia, or anywhere else. This is a global security threat and it must be dealt with by the law. These statements are not good enough,” said the Imam of Peace on X, whose work deals with ideologically tackling the spread of Islamic extremism.

Toronto Sun columnist Brian Lilley also approved the mayor’s stance.

Yahoo News Canada has reached out to Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow for a response.

While the topic is received as immensely sensitive and delicate online, knowledge gaps among the general members of the public only seem to widen As the situation on the ground continues to worsen around the Gaza Strip.

Latest figures coming out of the Middle East suggest 1,600 have already died as Israel looks to amp up the attack after formally declaring a war on Hamas following the tragic events that occurred over the weekend.

Who is Vivian Silver, Canadian-Israeli peace activist presumed held by Hamas?

Story by Jeff Semple •

Israeli-Canadian human rights campaigner Vivian Silver in an undated photo. Silver is believed to have been kidnapped by Hamas militants during the group's attack on Israel.© Family handout

Vivian Silver’s son was anxiously texting with his mother on Saturday morning, as Hamas gunmen closed in on her home near Israel's Gaza border. Her last message read: “They’re inside the house.”

The 74-year-old Canadian-Israeli spent her adult life campaigning for peace and human rights for Palestinians, particularly those living in impoverished Gaza.

Silver is now presumed to be a prisoner, among the dozens of civilian hostages held by Hamas following the militant group's coordinated weekend attack on Israeli soil.

"This is almost surreal to think that someone who dedicated their entire life to building peace, ending the occupation, lifting the siege of Gaza, is kidnapped by Hamas," said Ariel Dloomy, Silver's former colleague at the Arab-Jewish Center for Equality, Empowerment and Cooperation, in an interview with Global News.

Silver grew up in Winnipeg and moved to Israel in the 1970s. She quickly became a fierce campaigner, helping to launch and run various aid organizations, including Women Wage Peace.

In 2017, Silver organized a march for peace on the shores of the Jordan River in the West Bank, condemning an earlier Israeli attack that killed Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

During the march, she told a reporter: "We must change the paradigm that we have been taught for seven decades now, when we were told that only war will bring peace. We don't believe that anymore, it's been proven that it's not true."

Even into her 70s, she would drive sick Palestinians from Gaza to hospitals in Israel.

"She believes in peace and reconciliation and making the world a better place," said Yonatan Zeigen, Silver's son.

He, his wife and three young children live in nearby Tel Aviv and had planned to visit his mother over the weekend. "But last minute, we decided not to go," he said.

He phoned Silver on Saturday morning after hearing reports that Hamas gunmen were attacking civilians near her home in Be’eri Kibbutz, close to the Gaza border.

"I continued talking with my mother until I heard on the phone screaming and yelling and gunshots outside her window," he told Global News.

"So we stopped talking so (the gunmen) wouldn't hear. We continued corresponding through WhatsApp up until the point she wrote me to say: 'They're inside the house.'"

Since then, he said, his messages have gone unanswered.

Global News has confirmed at least two other Israeli-Canadians, Adi Vital Kaploun of Ottawa and Ben Mizrachi of Vancouver, are also believed to be among the Hamas hostages. A spokesperson for Hamas' military wing threatened Monday to begin executing its Israeli hostages on video, if Israel continues to target Gaza civilians with airstrikes.

Abu Obeida, the spokesman of the Qassam Brigades, said in an audio released Monday night that the threat was a response to intense air strikes by Israel on civilian areas.

“We have decided to put an end to this and as of now, we declare that any targeting of our people in their homes without prior warning will be regrettably faced with the execution of one the hostages of civilians we are holding,” he said.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday ordered a "complete siege" on Gaza, including a blockade of food, electricity and fuel. Israeli rockets rained down on the overcrowded Palestinian enclave, which is home to two million civilians, half of whom are under the age of 19.

Speaking to Global News from Gaza over cellphone video, Palestinian Aziz Elkahlout said the Israeli air attacks were striking civilian targets without warning. He said his neighbours were killed and their local market was destroyed.

"There is a lot of children, women, old people. They're hitting anything without warning," he said, his comments interrupted by an explosion in the distance.

Global News asked Silver's former colleague and fellow humanitarian, Ariel Dloomy, what she's thinking about her captivity and Israel's response.

"Vivian's message would be to never lose hope," he said.

"I'm sure that deep inside her, despite all these difficulties, she knows how to separate between the terrorists and the ordinary people. There are two million people living in Gaza, and we have to find a way, as the Israelis, to live with them in peace."

CANADIAN SOLIDARTIY WITH PALESTINE

Palestinians gather for rallies in Canada, Trudeau speaks at Jewish community centre

The Canadian Press
Mon, October 9, 2023 



TORONTO — Pro-Palestinian demonstrators spilled onto streets in several Canadian cities on Thanksgiving Day while the prime minister and Opposition leader spoke at a vigil at a Jewish community centre, following a weekend of deadly fighting in the Middle East.

Protesters gathered at Nathan Phillips Square in front of Toronto City Hall on Monday afternoon, many draped in or waving Palestinian flags as the crowd chanted, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,"in a demonstration that was denounced by the city's mayor.

One sign read, "Occupation is a crime, resistance is a response."

The gathering came after Hamas militants out of Gaza launched an attack on Israel on Saturday, firing thousands of rockets and sending dozens of fighters to infiltrate the heavily fortified border by air, land and sea.

The attack has been called the deadliest on Israel in years, with the incursion and counteroffensive killing hundreds on both sides and injuring thousands more. In the war's third day, Israel was still finding bodies and tens of thousands fled their homes in the Gaza Strip as relentless airstrikes levelled buildings.

Global Affairs Canada said it was aware of reports of one Canadian who has died amid the fighting and two others who were missing.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the attack at a vigil in Ottawa in the crowded Soloway Jewish Community Centre Monday evening. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and other local politicians also attended the event.

Trudeau appeared to reference pro-Palestinian rallies across Canada as he addressed the solemn crowd.

"Hamas terrorists aren't a resistance, they're not freedom fighters. They are terrorists, and no one in Canada should be supporting them, much less celebrating them," he said.

Sheila Mattar, a 53-year-old Palestinian-Canadian, was hesitant to attend the Toronto demonstration because she feels it's taboo for Canadians to show support for Palestine.

She often refrains from talking about politics with friends, who don't even know she is half-Palestinian. Her father grew up in the city of Haifa, but his family was expelled from their house in 1948, and her grandfather was shot dead by the Israelis at his front door nearly two decades later, she said.

"I've lived with this my entire life and this is generational trauma, and I can't be on the sidelines anymore. I have to speak up, the atrocities have to end."

As Palestinians like Mattar gathered, counter-protesters waved or wore Israeli flags, and police created barricades around them using bikes as they engaged in shouting matches with pro-Palestine protesters, who greatly outnumbered them.

Speakers reiterated that they were there not to spread hate against Jewish people, but to advocate for Palestinian liberation.

Hours before the protest, deputy Toronto police chief Lauren Pogue warned the public that there would be no tolerance for violence or hate crimes ahead of the expected large-scale demonstration, as well as another gathering in solidarity with Israel which took place later in the evening.

Politicians and police forces in Winnipeg and Vancouver made similar declarations ahead of demonstrations in those cities.

Toronto's Palestinian event went on despite the opposition of several councillors and the city's mayor, Olivia Chow.

Chow called the demonstration "deplorable" and "a glorification of "this weekend's indiscriminate violence, including murder and kidnapping of women and children, by Hamas against Israeli civilians."

Later Monday, Chow, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland stood on a stage in Toronto's North York neighbourhood where locals gathered to show their support for Israel, mourn those killed and pray for peace.

Approximately 250 police officers and other private security officials patrolled the public square where the event was held, and hundreds of people waved Israeli flags and cheered loudly as the politicians, one by one, expressed their “unequivocal” support for Israel’s right to defend itself.

“We will always be an ally, we will always be a friend and, my friends, we wish you lasting peace and freedom,” Ford told the crowd.

Trudeau spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, where he "unequivocally condemned" Hamas' attacks and said he is "gravely concerned" about the atrocities that have unfolded.

Those statements irked Eman Amar, who attended the Toronto pro-Palestine rally and wants politicians to apologize for supporting Israel. The 21-year-old has seen little help given to Palestinians in the last 75 years.

"Now suddenly they're mad at Palestinians who are retaliating for their own rights and homes," said Amar.

"Even though the government of Canada doesn't stand with them, Canadian people will stand with them."

Hundreds of supporters of Palestine also rallied Monday in Vancouver, where a heavy police presence kept a watchful eye on the crowd.

Keinda Kliani, 16, was there with her family who came to Canada about five years ago.

“Our whole family lives in Gaza, which is currently being bombed by Israeli settlers,” she said. “We're protesting for the people that just died.”

But Rachel Goldberg, whose family lives in Tel Aviv and who showed up at the Vancouver rally with a small group of friends, despite being vastly outnumbered, said there was no reason for Hamas to bomb the city, "except to terrorize people."

“You cannot tell me that you are fighting for freedom when you are kidnapping children, raping women, shooting the elderly at bus stops,” she said. “There is no military base in the middle of Tel Aviv.”

Calgary police said Monday that one person was taken into custody following rallies between local Israeli and Palestinian community groups. No charges have been laid yet, and police said the person is not believed to be a part of either community group.

At the vigil in Ottawa, Poilievre called Hamas "evil in its purest form," and said it does not speak for Palestinians.

"That is why I unreservedly condemn any and all who took part in the disgusting celebrations that we have seen on our streets," he told the crowd in Ottawa.

McGill University on Monday said it has written its student society, asking it to revoke permission for a group to use the university's name after it says the group made "incendiary posts."

In a Facebook post Saturday urging people to attend a pro-Palestinian rally on Sunday, Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights McGill called the attack "heroic" and asked Montrealers to "celebrate the resistance’s success."

"McGill University denounces these communications; the celebration of acts of terror and violence is completely antithetical to McGill’s fundamental values," Michel Proulx, a spokesman for the university, said in a statement Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9, 2023.

--With files from Fakiha Baig in Toronto, Darryl Greer in Vancouver, Laura Osman in Ottawa and Rob Drinkwater in Edmonton

Tyler Griffin, The Canadian Press

Calgary Witnesses Parallel Rallies Amidst Escalating Israel-Hamas Conflict

© Provided by BNN Breaking

Calgary: A Microcosm of the Israel-Hamas Conflict

As the Israel-Hamas conflict intensified, the streets of Calgary mirrored the deep divide. Rallies supporting both Israeli and Palestinian sides of the volatile situation took place in Calgary’s city hall, a testament to the global reach of the conflict. The rallies coincided with a significant escalation in the conflict, as Israel increased airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and sealed it off from supplies, resulting in a death toll nearing 1,600.


City Hall: A Stage for Dueling Rallies

Calgary’s municipal plaza and Macleod Trail became the platforms for Israel and Palestine supporters, respectively. Dozens of Israel supporters gathered in the municipal plaza, while pro-Palestine supporters lined Macleod Trail in front of city hall. The rallies aimed to show support and solidarity with Israelis and Palestinians during the conflict. However, they also underscored the deeply entrenched divide and passionate emotions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict.
A Day of Escalation

The day of the rallies marked the third day of the conflict and saw Israel still finding bodies from Hamas’ attack into Israeli towns. Tens of thousands of people fled their homes in Gaza due to airstrikes. Israel made a formal declaration of war and evacuated thousands of Israelis from towns, further intensifying the situation.

Looking Beyond Calgary

The conflict also resonated in Vancouver, where up to 300 people attended a pro-Palestinian rally outside the Vancouver Art Gallery. The protesters there echoed the sentiments of those in Calgary, calling for an end to what they see as a settler-colonial occupation in the Palestinian territories and demanding that Western governments, including Canada, withdraw support for the Israeli government. The protest was largely peaceful, although there were some scuffles when a few Israeli counter-protesters showed up.

Whether in Calgary, Vancouver, or the conflict zone itself, the passion and divided sentiments surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict are palpable. As the situation continues to unfold, the world watches anxiously, hoping for a peaceful resolution.

ONTARIO
Hundreds of Londoners rally for Palestine after Hamas attack on Israel


Local Journalism Initiative
Tue, October 10, 2023 

Hundreds rallied in downtown London Monday afternoon to back Palestine in a sudden war with neighbouring Israel following an unexpected attack on the latter that's sent shockwaves around the globe.

The rally was organized by a group called the Canadian Palestinian Social Association. It drew a large crowd to the northwest corner of Victoria Park, including several people waving Palestine flags, holding signs criticizing Israel and chanting in support of Palestinian freedom.

"I think it's very important we support our Palestinian brothers and sisters today," said 18-year-old Western University student Malak Osman.

Added her fellow student, Sama Zayed: "(I'm) definitely in support of Palestine."

The rally in London followed on the heels of pro-Palestine events in other Canadian cities this weekend, including Ottawa and Mississauga. But it's also at odds with the official stance taken by the federal government and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

In a statement, Trudeau described the conflict as "Hamas' terror attack against Israel," in reference to the militant group that rules the Gaza Strip. The peace tower on Parliament Hill was lit up in the colours of the Israeli flag, Trudeau noted, "to honour those whose lives have been cut short by Hamas' terror attacks."

Trudeau also said: "Canada unequivocally condemns Hamas' barbaric, brutal terror attacks -- and reaffirms its support for Israel's right to defend itself."

The London rally underscored the fact that many in Canada, including but not limited to Muslim communities, see the conflict very differently. Chants by those in attendance included "Free, free Palestine" and "Netanyahu you will see/Palestine will be free," in reference to the Israeli prime minister.

Israel has declared war as it bombarded the Gaza strip with airstrikes in retaliation for the major surprise attack by Hamas. Here are five things to know about the conflict, as reported by the Associated Press:

Israel has previously carried out major military campaigns in Lebanon and Gaza that it portrayed as wars, but without a formal declaration.

The declaration gives the green light for Israel to take "significant military steps" against Hamas. It came as the military continued efforts to stamp out the last groups of fighters in southern Israel following the attack.

Israel hit more than 800 targets in Gaza by Sunday, its military said. That included airstrikes that levelled much of the town of Beit Hanoun in the enclave's northeast corner.

Hamas had been using the town as a staging ground for attacks, Israeli Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters. There was no immediate word on casualties, and most of the community's population of tens of thousands likely fled before the bombardment.

The leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which participated in Saturday's attack, said it was holding more than 30 Israelis among dozens of captives in Gaza. He said they would not be released until all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails are freed

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the Ford carrier strike group to sail to the Eastern Mediterranean to be ready to assist Israel. The deployment -- which also includes a host of ships and warplanes -- underscores the concern that the United States has in trying to keep the conflict from growing.

Preliminary reports indicated at least four U.S. citizens were killed in the attacks, and seven more were missing, a U.S. official said.

The U.N. Security Council was holding an emergency meeting about the situation behind closed doors, and Germany's development minister said her country would review its aid for Palestinian areas.

In Iran -- a longtime supporter of Hamas and other terrorist groups senior officials praised the incursion. President Ebrahim Raisi spoke by phone with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Islamic Jihad leader Ziad al-Nakhalah, the state-run IRNA news agency reported Sunday. Egypt spoke with both sides about a potential cease-fire, but an Egyptian official said Israel was not open to a truce "at this stage." A policeman in Egypt opened fire Sunday on Israeli tourists in the city of Alexandria, killing at least two Israelis and one Egyptian, authorities said. The U.S. embassy in Cairo urged Americans in the country to take precautions as the attack could be related to clashes between Israel and Palestinian fighters.

The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees said 74,000 people in the Gaza Strip have taken shelter in dozens of its schools following calls from Israel for residents of border areas to evacuate. The number of displaced increased by nearly 50,000 since Saturday, when about 20,000 first moved into U.N.-operated schools.

The number is likely to increase amid heavy shelling and airstrikes in different parts of the overpopulated and besieged territory of two million people, the UNRWA said Sunday.

The agency said one of its schools was directly hit and suffered severe damage, but there were no casualties. Associated Press video from Sunday showed a large crater in the middle of the school, which had sheltered 225 people.

"Schools and other civilian infrastructure, including those sheltering displaced families, must never come under attack," UNRWA said in a statement.

Cease-fires have stopped major fighting in past rounds of conflict but have always proven shaky. Each agreement in the past has offered a period of calm, but the deeper, underlying issues are rarely addressed, setting the stage for the next round of airstrikes and rockets.

Hamas officials cited long-simmering sources of tension including the dispute over the sensitive Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is sacred to both Muslims and Jews. Competing claims over the site, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, have spilled into violence before, including a bloody 11-day war between Israel and Hamas in 2021.

In recent years, Israeli religious nationalists -- such as Itamar Ben-Gvir, the national security minister -- have increased their visits to the compound. Last week, during the Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot, hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews and Israeli activists visited the site, prompting condemnation from Hamas and accusations that Jews were praying there in violation of the status quo agreement. Hamas also has cited the expansion of Jewish settlements on lands that Palestinians claim for a future state and Ben-Gvir's efforts to toughen restrictions on Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Tensions recently escalated with violent Palestinian protests along the Gaza frontier. In negotiations with Qatar, Egypt and the United Nations, Hamas has pushed for Israeli concessions that could loosen the 17-year blockade on the enclave and help halt a worsening financial crisis that has sharpened public criticism of its rule. Some political analysts have linked Hamas' attack to current U.S.-brokered talks on normalization of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia. So far, reports of possible concessions to Palestinians in the negotiations have involved the occupied West Bank, not Gaza.

The eruption of violence comes at a difficult time for Israel, which is facing the biggest protests in its history over Netanyahu's proposal to weaken the Supreme Court while he is on trial for corruption.

The protest movement accuses Netanyahu of making a power grab. That has bitterly divided society and unleashed turmoil within the military, with hundreds of reservists threatening to stop volunteering to report for duty in protest.

Reservists are the backbone of the army, and protests within the ranks have raised concerns about cohesion, operational readiness and power of deterrence as it confronts threats on multiple fronts. Netanyahu called up "an extensive mobilization of reserve forces" Saturday.

bwilliams@postmedia.com

Brian Williams, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, London Free Press

UK

Labour left raises Palestinian plight as leadership focuses on Hamas’s bloodshed


Sam Blewett, Sophie Wingate and David Hughes, PA Political Staff
Mon, October 9, 2023 

Labour was split over raising concerns about Palestinians in the wake of Hamas’s killings of civilians in Israel as the party’s left sought to highlight the treatment of people in Gaza.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said on Monday she had “no time” for pro-Palestinian events on the fringes of the Labour conference being held in Liverpool.

But former frontbencher John McDonnell appeared at a union-led event organised in solidarity with Palestinians to raise fears of the “nightmare situation” for people in Gaza.

Meanwhile, shadow exports minister Afzal Khan apologised after posing for a photograph in front of a Palestinian flag saying “end apartheid now”.

Israel’s military has ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip, blockading deliveries of food, fuel and supplies to 2.3 million people.

Labour was largely united in condemning Hamas’s wave of violence that has left hundreds dead in Israel, with deputy leader Angela Rayner leading a moment’s silence.

Ms Reeves told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Israel has “every right to defend itself”, but said it has to “abide by international rules of engagement”.

She hit out at pro-Palestinian fringe events at the conference, telling Times Radio: “I’ve got no time for that.”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said there was ‘no justification’ for Hamas’s ‘terrorist attack’ on Israel (Peter Byrne/PA)

Mr McDonnell went further than his old ally Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, in proactively saying he would “condemn the killing of innocents” by Hamas.

“But as a father and a grandfather, my heart also goes out to the parents of the children killed in Gaza,” the former shadow chancellor added at an event chaired by a Unite director.

“There is no justification for the killing of civilians on any side.

“My fear now is with the Israeli bombings and the threat of ground invasion of Gaza and the blockage today of water, electricity and food supplies.

“I fear for the Palestinian parents who now see their children living in a nightmare situation of wondering what will happen next.”

Mr McDonnell said the Government should be “working flat out for de-escalation, to bring about a ceasefire by all sides”.

He urged ministers across the world to work towards a “just peace including the end of the illegal occupation of Palestine”.

Jeremy Corbyn has not explicitly condemned Hamas (Lucy North/PA)

Husam Zomlot, the head of the Palestinian mission to the UK, told the event that six members of his family had just died in an Israeli bombardment.

The diplomat said Israel cutting off water and electricity to Gaza in an act of “sheer vengeance” would be a “war crime”.

Bell Ribeiro-Addy, who served as a shadow minister under Mr Corbyn, condemned the violence in recent days and said “we should grieve for innocent victims on all sides”.

“But we should be clear. If you are holding a minute’s silence for the dead in this conflict, we would be doing it every year. For the whole of my life there has been killing and bloodshed,” she said.

She called for “proper peace negotiations to begin”, arguing the UK has a particular responsibility because it is the former colonial ruler of Palestine.

Israeli firefighters extinguish fire at a site struck by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, southern Israel, on Monday (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP)

“This is the rubble of the empire we can see all around us and especially in terms of British foreign policy,” she said.

“In this country, the former colonial power, there is a special responsibility and duty to work towards peace and we should never encourage war.”

Pro-Palestine activist Hugh Lanning told the event that it was “becoming harder and harder” to speak up in support for the cause within the Labour movement.

He said: “In a way, first they came for people who mentioned those three letters BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions).

“Then it was coming for people who mentioned the word apartheid. And now it’s the P word, really you can’t even mention Palestine or peace and I think we need to, in this time, be clear that we are not going to be silenced.”

Mr Khan issued an apology after posing for a photo at the Palestine Solidarity Campaign’s (PSC) stand at the conference.

The Manchester Gorton MP said: “I want to apologise for any offence caused by stopping by the PSC stall at this time.

“I unequivocally condemn the terrorist actions of Hamas and support Israel’s right to defend itself.”

Tory chairman Greg Hands had questioned when Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will “take action” against “those who use the offensive ‘apartheid’ term in relation to Israel”.

Ms Reeves said that Mr Corbyn, who has been expelled from the parliamentary party over his handling of antisemitism, will “absolutely not” be welcomed back as a Labour MP.

Labour’s shadow Middle East minister Wayne David said at a fringe event that the UK should “not turn a blind eye” to the “huge injustices committed against the Palestinian people for many years”.

Mr David said Israeli settlers have also been guilty of “terrorist activity” and urged for Israel’s response to be “proportionate”.

The mother of Israeli Colonel Roi Levy cries during her son’s funeral at the Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem on Monday (Maya Alleruzzo/AP)

He also told the event that more UK aid should go to Palestinians who must “not be equated with Hamas”.

But he was later contradicted by shadow international development secretary Lisa Nandy, who said the UK should review aid given to Palestinians following Hamas’ attack.

It came after the European Commission said it was putting all of its development aid for Palestinians under review and suspending all payments.

“We’ll always support the Palestinian people,” Ms Nandy told another fringe event.

“But in light of current events, it’s right that the UK considers how British money is being spent and whether that British money is being used appropriately or whether it’s being used to support acts of terrorism.”

 Not Your Grandpa’s Conservative Party

Take Back Alberta, a key Danielle Smith backer, continues its UCP takeover.

A conservative observer on watching Take Back Alberta — a key supporter of Premier Danielle Smith — in action: ‘It felt like a coup.’ 

Photo by Chris Schwarz via Alberta government.

Alberta Politics
David J. Climenhaga 

Yesterday

A clearer picture is starting to emerge of how Take Back Alberta — the anti-vaccine, pro-convoy, Q-adjacent extremist group key to Danielle Smith’s victory in last year’s United Conservative Party leadership race — is now taking over her party one riding association at a time.

Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt sounded a warning bell about Take Back Alberta early this month in a Calgary Herald op-ed.

He was the first to use the phrase “a Take Back Alberta government” to describe how a post-election Danielle Smith government might function and act.

Look for a full-blown assault on public education, including attempts to take over local school boards by TBA cadres, and legislation to weaken public health measures, Bratt said in the op-ed, written with Sarah Biggs of Olsen-Biggs Public Affairs, who has worked as a Conservative political organizer.


We could also expect a TBA government to make good on Smith’s advocacy of an Alberta-autonomy agenda, they wrote — “creating Alberta provincial police to replace RCMP, Alberta tax collection agency to replace Revenue Canada, and an Alberta pension plan by pulling out of the Canada Pension Plan.” Eventually, we might also see “a referendum on Alberta’s separation from Canada.”

“This is not hyperbole or fearmongering,” they warned. “These are all statements coming from Take Back Alberta.”

Now we have an eyewitness account of TBA’s effort to gain control of the UCP party apparatus in the Livingstone-Macleod riding, which extends south from High River, home to Smith, all the way to the U.S. border in southwestern Alberta.

Writing in the Crowsnest Pass Herald March 15, publisher Lisa Sygutek described her experience and feelings as a Conservative supporter watching TBA in action.

“I have been a card-carrying conservative my entire adult life,” began Sygutek, who is also a Crowsnest Pass municipal councillor. “When I was in university, I was part of the young conservative organization. I believe in the party, well the party I used to know and understand, and I must tell you I don’t understand this party anymore.”

“What I experienced,” she wrote, “was basically a takeover by the ‘Take Back Alberta’ faction.”

Describing the election of candidates for the constituency association board in her community, she said, “It was bizarre. There was honestly a sense of extreme hostility in the room. It felt like a coup.”

That would seem fair. Indeed, what appears to have happened in Livingstone-Macleod could be described as a coup without stretching the facts too much.

“After the board elections, I found out that around 80 per cent of the board had been replaced and many of the new board members were a faction of the TBA group,” said Sygutek, who is also a director of the Alberta Weekly Newspapers Association.

She describes what sounds very much like a concerted effort to suppress the votes of people who don’t support TBA. The UCP, she wrote, “is fractured by an extreme right conservative group and people like me who are moderate are left bereft.”

There’s more, and I recommend you read Sygutek’s commentary.

Remember that TBA has already, as Bratt pointed out, enjoyed significant success turning the UCP into an extremist organization, and when it turned to taking over UCP constituency associations “assembled more than 500 people to attend the AGM for the Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre constituency association and took over the board, winning 28 of 30 seats that were up for re-election.”

This, he noted, lead to the party’s nomination being reopened with the intention of replacing former cabinet minister Jason Nixon with a more radical candidate.

The same group is moving to take over other UCP riding associations.

Back in November last year, the Globe and Mail reported how TBA managed to gain significant control of the party’s provincial board.

As often happens with developments of this type, less attention has been paid to this group than it deserved when it was campaigning for Smith’s leadership. Obviously, it’s time to start paying some heed to what voices within the Conservative party, like that of Sygutek, are saying.

If it ever was, the UCP is not your grandfather’s Conservative party anymore.

David Climenhaga  is an award-winning journalist, author, post-secondary teacher, poet and trade union communicator. He blogs at AlbertaPolitics.ca

 Follow him on Twitter at @djclimenhaga.

Saskatchewan legislature members prepare for fight over pronouns, Charter rights

The Canadian Press
Mon, October 9, 2023 

REGINA — Saskatchewan politicians are heading back to legislature, preparing for a pronoun fight that some political observers say could alter the province's electoral landscape.

The legislative assembly is set to resume Tuesday, with the Saskatchewan Party government planning to introduce legislation that would require children under 16 to receive parental consent if they want to change their names or pronouns at school.

Premier Scott Moe has said he plans to invoke the notwithstanding clause, a provision that allows governments to override certain Charter rights for up to five years.

Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck said her team is ready to debate.

"If they want to talk about education, we're prepared to talk about education," Beck said in a recent interview. "And we're prepared to debate their record, which frankly has failed the children of this province for over a decade."

A "Rally for our Rights" protest is scheduled outside the legislature the day politicians return.

In late September, a judge granted an injunction and paused the policy. Lawyers for UR Pride, a local LGBTQ group in Regina that applied for the injunction, argued the policy could cause teachers to out or misgender children, resulting in Charter violations.

Nathaniel Teed, an NDP legislature member, has said his party may filibuster.

He said on social media that he and other NDP members plan during the debate to read letters sent on behalf of people affected by the policy and the "attack on Charter rights."

Moe has said Saskatchewan Party members are ultimately making the decision to legislate the policy, as they represent various constituents who have raised concerns.

He said parents should be informed of their children's information at school.

“It is a discussion very much that is happening in my community. I was home last night and had three people approach me outside the grocery store,” Moe told reporters last week.

“And so there are people that are approaching not only myself as a local MLA, but approaching other MLAs as well and have been for a period of time. Most, if not all of them, are parents, have been parents or grandparents.”

As the debate unfolds in the legislature, political observers say they will be watching to see whether it moves the electorate.

Daniel Westlake, a political science professor at the University of Saskatchewan, said two outcomes are possible.

In one scenario, he said, the policy could work in the government's favour. If it resonates broadly, it could help shore up more right-wing voters into the government's base.

In the second scenario, however, Westlake said the issue could define the government as going too far right. This could make some moderate voters look at alternatives, such as the NDP.

"Something like the use of the notwithstanding clause can get people thinking about this as a Charter issue," he said.

"You could have moderate voters saying, 'I'm not so sure that I'm comfortable with a party that is willing to violate Charter rights, even if I don't have a firm opinion on the particular pronoun policy.'"

David Rayside, a retired politics professor at the University of Toronto, said centre-right parties sometimes become fearful they'll lose votes to the far-right.

In an August byelection, the conservative Saskatchewan United Party, which says it champions parental rights, received 23 per cent of the vote, appearing to take a bite out of the Saskatchewan Party's base. The Saskatchewan Party won the byelection with 54 per cent.

"That explains a lot," Rayside said.

He said it appears conservative governments in Canada are watching gender debates in the United States, where some Republicans have been introducing pronoun rules in schools and limiting sexual education.

New Brunswick's Progressive Conservative government has a similar pronoun policy to Saskatchewan's, though school guidance counsellors there can use children's chosen names.

Rayside said people are generally more ambivalent to pronouns and transgender rights and have general anxiety about parental roles in school.

"Right-wing politicians know that, or at least have been learning that, and are willing to run with them without any real, in my view, reflection on some of the broader issue of risks to kids," Rayside said.

Federal Conservative party delegates at a convention in September voted in favour of prohibiting “medicinal or surgical interventions” for gender-diverse and transgender children. Leader Pierre Poilievre has said he's not bound to include the policies in an eventual election platform.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has said her caucus is having discussions over pronouns in school but has not made a decision.

Rayside said he's unsure how the debate will play out electorally in Saskatchewan, noting voters tend to lean conservative. However, he said he expects the NDP to make a pitch to centrist voters.

Beck said people want leaders who are solving problems with solutions that they can get behind.

"It's one thing to have differences, but to see some politicians willingly stoke that division for their own political ends, I think, is more than disappointing for people," she said.

Beck said kids do better when parents are involved, but that the new pronoun policy is not going to make things better. She called the use of the notwithstanding clause "heavy handed."

"To be willing to make vulnerable kids more vulnerable, it's not the kind of leadership that a lot of people want to see from the government."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9, 2023.

Jeremy Simes, The Canadian Press