Montreal Activists Call for National Protest in Ottawa

Montrealers gathered in downtown Montreal to protest more than 140 days of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza 

Organizers announced a national protest outside Parliament in Ottawa on March 9.

This protest will call for Canada to uphold an arms embargo on Israel, for Canada to reinstate their funding to UNRWA and push for all Palestinian prisoners to be freed.

Canada revoked funding to UNRWA, known as The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, following Israel accusing 12 UNRWA employees of being involved in the Oct. 7 Al Aqsa flood. 

Multiple countries defunded UNRWA after these allegations were made by Israel.

UNRWA provides humanitarian relief to Gaza and it has limited funding. 

The organization says they could run out of money by March.

Local pro-Palestine organizations are organizing buses to send Montrealers to Ottawa for the protest.

Organizers said because of pro-Palestinian activism, Canada is now supporting an immediate ceasefire.

Close to 30 thousand Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7.

Montreal4Palestine organizer Mahmoud Khalil brought up that as Ramadan approaches, Palestinians in Gaza are experiencing forced starvation, and likely will continue to experience this as the holy month commences.

Israel plans to commence a ground invasion before Ramadan begins.

Protesters gathered outside Champs-des-Mars metro station, along Viger Avenue to Dorchester Square in downtown Montreal.  

Organizers said the March 9 protest in Ottawa will take place the day after International Women’s Day and the protest will be dedicated to mothers and sisters in Gaza. 

Speakers brought up Rafah, which they say was formerly declared a safe zone. Israel has been bombing Rafah for two weeks and has threatened a ground invasion. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed a letter alongside the Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Australia demanding an immediate ceasefire, calling a ground invasion in Rafah “catastrophic”.