StudentsForPalestine

Students For Palestine

🇵🇸 PALESTINIAN SOLIDARITY RESOURCE LIST

Compiled by: MRUSFP (Mount Royal University Students for Palestine)

PREAMBLE

This list has been compiled by a small group of students at Mount Royal University in Mohkínstsis, none of whom are Palestinian, Arab, or Muslim themselves. We have made a concerted effort to highlight and amplify the voices, perspectives, goals, and calls to action of those who are. If any of the following information and/or resources exist in contradiction to Palestinian calls to action, please email us at mrusfp@gmail.com or message us on instagram at MRUSFP if you are able. Further, MRUSFP acknowledges the important distinction between Anti Semitism and Anti-zionism; we do NOT support Anti Semitism in any way, and encourage those who have witnessed such instances (whether online or in person) to report them. https://www.instagram.com/mrusfp/

SECTION 1–GETTING EDUCATED

1a. GENERAL INFO & EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

1b. PROTEST RIGHTS & PREPAREDNESS INFO

SECTION 2–GETTING ACTIVE

2a. JOIN A PROTEST (CALGARY)

Justice for Palestine (JFP) Calgary Facebook
Justice for Palestine (JFP) Calgary Instagram
Check Section 1b. “PROTEST RIGHTS & PREPAREDNESS INFO” above before attending

2b. ONLINE CAMPAIGNS & GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE EMAIL LINKS

2c. BOYCOTT INFO

What Products & Companies to Boycott – Scroll down in link (BDS)
More comprehensive list: Boycott List of Shame – Canadian BDS Coalition

2d. DONATION RESOURCES (NOT EXHAUSTIVE)

2e. RESOURCES FOR REPORTING HATE & FOR CHALLENGING MEDIA BIAS

2f. SURVEY LIST (GIVE YOUR FEEDBACK)

Surveys (CJPME)

2g. RESOURCES FOR DISTRIBUTION–PRINTABLES

SECTION 3–CURRENT INFORMATION AND MISC. INFO

3a. WRITING A LETTER TO YOUR LOCAL MP

Calling for a ceasefire: You can call your MP demanding they join a growing number of MPs who are campaigning for the government of Canada to demand a ceasefire.You can find talking points and instructions on how to call your MP on the Leadnow website. You can also send a letter to all Canadian MPs calling for an immediate ceasefire through the National Council of Canadian Muslims website.

Template for letter to your local MP

Dear [MP's name], I am writing to you as a constituent of your riding to express my deep concern about the ongoing violence in Palestine. The situation is dire and requires immediate attention from our government.

I urge you to call on the Canadian government to take immediate action to help end the violence and protect the human rights of Palestinians. Specifically, I ask that you call on the Canadian government to:

1. Demand an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Palestine.
2. Condemn Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian territories and its ongoing human rights abuses against Palestinians.
3. Suspend all arms sales to Israel until it complies with international law and respects the human rights of Palestinians.
4. Support the International Criminal Court's investigation into war crimes committed by Israel in Palestine.

As a Canadian citizen, I believe it is our government's responsibility to stand up for human rights and justice around the world. I am deeply committed to this issue, so much so that I feel compelled to inform you that should you not support the call for a ceasefire and the aforementioned actions, I will never vote for [Your MP's Party] again. You are plainly implicit in an active genocide. Instead, I will vote for the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in the next election, even if it goes against my own interests, to ensure that individuals in office are willing to take a stand on this critical issue.

I urge you to take action on this urgent matter and look forward to your prompt response.

Thank you for your attention to this important issue.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

3b. LEGAL RESOURCES

General Legal Help

Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII): CanLII is a non-profit organization that provides free access to court judgments, tribunal decisions, statutes, and regulations from all Canadian jurisdictions](https://www.canlii.org/en).
LegalTree.ca: LegalTree.ca is a collaborative legal resource that contains thousands of secondary sources on all areas of Canadian law.It also contains legal content contributed by lawyers in the Canadian legal community.
Canada Legal Help: Canada Legal Help is a website that provides free legal information and resources.It contains a database of legal resources organized by subject area, as well as research articles and news columns contributed by lawyers in the Canadian legal community.

Specific Legal Help

Legal Centre for Palestine (LCP): LCP is a Canadian-based center that provides legal advice and support to activists pursuing solidarity in the struggle for Palestinian rights.They offer essential legal advice and support at a time when that role is urgently needed.
Palestine Legal Resource Canada (PLRC): PLRC is an initiative of Just Peace Advocates that serves to bolster the Palestine solidarity movement across the country by challenging efforts to threaten, harass and legally bully activists into silence and inaction.
Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII): CanLII is a non-profit organization that provides free access to court judgments, tribunal decisions, statutes, and regulations from all Canadian jurisdictions.

3c. UNORGANIZED INFORMATION

Palestinian Solidarity Groups in Canada: The Coalition of Canadian Palestinian Organizations is a coalition of organizations that work together to promote justice for Palestinians in Canada and Palestine.They have a website where you can find more information about their work and events.
- How to start a Palestine solidarity group in Canada: The Coalition of Canadian Palestinian Organizations has a guide on how to start a Palestine solidarity group in Canada.The guide provides information on how to organize, plan, and execute events.
Apartheid: Amnesty International’s new investigation shows that Israel imposes a system of oppression and domination against Palestinians across all areas under its control: in Israel and the OPT, and against Palestinian refugees, in order to benefit Jewish Israelis.This amounts to apartheid as prohibited in international law. Citations: 1, 2, 3, 4.
More info on Anti-Zionism: Anti-Zionism is the rejection of the idea of a Jewish state. It holds that the existence of Israel is per se immoral. It should be noted here that “anti-Zionism” does not denote a critical attitude toward the Israeli government. Anti-Zionism opposes the movement to create a Jewish state in the Middle East, roughly corresponding to the historical land of Israel, and thus support for the modern state of Israel. Amnesty International’s new investigation shows that Israel imposes a system of oppression and domination against Palestinians across all areas under its control: in Israel and the OPT, and against Palestinian refugees, in order to benefit Jewish Israelis. This amounts to apartheid as prohibited in international law. Citations: 1, 2, 3.

Current Situation on the Ground

The situation on the ground in Palestine is dire, with ongoing human rights violations and violence against Palestinian civilians. According to Human Rights Watch, Israeli authorities have doubled down on policies to repress Palestinians and privilege Jewish Israelis, which amounts to the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution. Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory is unlawful under international law due to its permanence and the Israeli government’s de facto annexation policies.. The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory has found that there are reasonable grounds to conclude that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory is now unlawful under international law due to its permanence and the Israeli Government’s de-facto annexation policies. .

Human Rights Violations

Human Rights Watch has documented serious violations of the laws of war and apparent war crimes during hostilities between Israel and Palestine, including Israeli strikes that killed scores of civilians and destroyed four high-rise Gaza towers full of homes and businesses, with no evident military targets in the vicinity. Amnesty International has reported that Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip heavily restrict freedom of expression, association, and assembly. They also hold scores of people in arbitrary detention and subject many to torture and other ill-treatment.

International Law

The United Nations Human Rights Council has decided to “urgently establish an ongoing, independent, international commission of inquiry to investigate, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel, all alleged violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of international human rights law leading up to and since 13 April 2021”. The commission will investigate all underlying root causes of recurrent tensions, instability, and protraction of conflict, including systematic discrimination and repression based on national, ethnic, racial or religious identity.

Goals of the Palestinian Solidarity Movement

The Palestine Solidarity Movement (PSM) is a student organization in the United States which was established after the start of the Al-Aqsa Intifada in Israel. The organization aims to use “divestment as a tactic to non-violently influence a just resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”. The movement’s goals include:
- The right of return for Palestinians.
- A full decolonization of all Palestinian land.
- An end to the Israeli occupation.

Action Items

Attend rallies or protests: Protests are a powerful way for students to show their support for Palestine. Check social media platforms such as Twitter or Facebook for information about upcoming protests or rallies near you.
Sign petitions: Signing petitions can be an effective way to show your support for Palestine. Change.org is a popular platform for petitions related to Palestine.
Donate: Donating money can be an effective way to support organizations working towards justice for Palestine. Some organizations that accept donations include UNRWA USA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency), Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), and Defense for Children International - Palestine (DCIP).
Educate yourself: It is important to educate yourself about the situation in Palestine by reading books or articles written by Palestinian authors or journalists.
Support Palestinian businesses: Supporting Palestinian businesses can be an effective way to show your solidarity with Palestine. Check out websites such as BuyPalestinian.com or Palbox.co for more information.

SECTION 4–MEDIA

4a. DOCUMENTARIES

Little Palestine: Diary of a Siege: This harrowing documentary follows life among starving Palestinians in the Yarmouk camp as Syria’s civil war raged about them.
The Price of Oslo: This two-part documentary traces the secret road to the Oslo Accords, telling the story of negotiations that took place in the political shadows and a search for common ground amid a region in turmoil. At the center of it all was an unlikely mediator: the Scandinavian country of Norway.
Al-Nakba: For Palestinians, 1948 marks the “Nakba” or “catastrophe”, when hundreds of thousands were forced out of their homes. For Israelis, the same year marks the creation of their own state. This four-part series attempts to present an understanding of the events of the past that are still shaping the present.

4b. BOOKS

Some recommended books include “The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine” by Rashid Khalidi, “Gaza Writes Back” edited by Refaat Alareer, “The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine” by Ilan Pappe, “Palestine: A Four Thousand Year History” by Nur Masalha, among others.
After the Last Sky by Edward Said: This book is a collection of essays that explore the history of Palestine and the Palestinian people, as well as their struggle for self-determination.
Mural by Mahmoud Darwish: This book is a collection of poems that reflect on the Palestinian experience, including themes of exile, identity, and resistance.
My Happiness Bears No Relation to Happiness by Adina Hoffman: This book tells the story of Palestinian poet Taha Muhammad Ali, who lived through some of the most tumultuous periods in Palestinian history.
Footnotes in Gaza by Joe Sacco: This graphic novel provides a detailed account of two massacres that took place in Gaza in 1956, and explores their impact on the Palestinian people.
From Coexistence to Conquest by Victor Kattan: This book examines the history of Israel’s occupation of Palestine, and argues that it has been driven by a desire to expand its territory and control over the Palestinian people.

4C. ARTICLES

PLEASE SEND SUGGESTED ADDITIONS/REVISIONS TO:

INSTAGRAM: MRUSFP
EMAIL: mail@studentsforpalestine.org or mrusfp@gmail.com

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