Statement in solidarity with student and community protests against ongoing genocide in Gaza
Palestinian and Jewish Unity (PAJU) stand in solidarity with the students and teachers at McGill University and globally who are bravely protesting in encampments against the ongoing genocide in Gaza perpetrated by the Israeli colonial regime.
We commend the students who are exercising their right to protest peacefully despite an overwhelming atmosphere of pressure, intimidation and retaliation, to raise awareness about Israel’s assault on Gaza – with Canadian backing via weapons and funding. These students have come forth with clear demands that their universities divest from corporations profiting from Israeli occupation, and demanding safe environments for Palestinians across their campuses. The students’ courage and determination in the face of adversity inspire us all to take action and speak out against injustice wherever it occurs. As they risk everything right now, it is critical that all of us do everything we can to support them.
Canadian universities remain public institutions funded not only by the students who are bravely protesting and asking for accountability but the universities are also funded by public funds. It is therefore imperative that these institutions remain accountable for misuse of public funds in order to fund genocide.
Today, as Palestinian and Jewish Unity (PAJU) we join other people of conscience and like minded groups in contesting the emergency injunction that is being presented in Québec superior court in an effort to conflate people who stand against genocide with antisemitism. Criticizing Israel’s genocidal policies is not antisemitism. On the contrary, it is a legitimate expression of solidarity. We as Palestinian and Jewish Unity believe that it is destructive and dangerous to weaponize antisemitism to silence debate and opposition to genocide. This conflation is dangerous for both the Palestinian community as well as the Jewish community at large.
As we stand in solidarity with the students protesting in encampments across the country, we reaffirm our commitment to amplifying their voices, condemn the university administration officials’ violent response to their activism, and demand that universities remove the presence of police and other militarized forces from their campuses.
In solidarity,
Palestinian and Jewish Unity
Bruce Katz and Chadi Marouf
co-presidents
