Saturday, 27 June
3:00 pm
Israeli Consulate
2 Bloor Street East
Toronto, ON, Canada
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/552485548966147/

Stop Israel’s illegal annexation of the West Bank!
Defend international law. Defend Palestinian human rights.

DEMONSTRATION
Saturday, June 27
3:00 p.m. EDT
Consulate General of Israel, Toronto
2 Bloor Street East
(northeast corner of Bloor and Yonge)

Please join this urgent rally to oppose Israel’s attempts to annex large parts of the West Bank. Israel has announced plans to begin annexing the West Bank in July, with the full backing of the Trump administration. Any attempt at annexation would violate international law and numerous United Nations resolutions. It would also further entrench Israel’s illegal occupation and undermine any possibility for a peaceful resolution.

A Palestinian-led coalition of Toronto-based labour, student, faith, community and cultural organizations has come together to organize this rally in an effort to pressure the Canadian government to condemn Israel’s impending annexation of parts of the West Bank. We are also trying to pressure the Canadian government to take concrete actions—such as imposing sanctions against Israel, and suspending the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement—if Israel continues its move towards annexation.

We invite you to join us on Saturday. Here is how you can help:

– Share this call-out widely. Forward to family, friends, and organizations in your networks.
– If you’re a member of an organization that supports human rights, peace, and justice, sign the statement below.
– Bring your own homemade placards or banners to the rally on Saturday.
– If you can’t join the rally in person, post a photo of yourself on social media holding a sign to support the rally. Use the hashtag #StopAnnexation.

Please note: In light of the ongoing public health measures related to COVID-19, we will be practicing physical distancing at the rally and urge participants to wear non-medical face coverings. For information about best public health practices during the pandemic, please see https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-protect-yourself-others/covid-19-reduce-virus-spread/

For more information about the rally, or to endorse the statement below, please email palestiniancanadians@gmail.com.

STATEMENT

Canada must strongly oppose illegal Israeli annexations

We are a coalition of groups across Canada that have come together to condemn in the strongest terms the impending Israeli annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank in Palestine.

After 40 years of the illegal annexation of East Jerusalem and 53 years of the illegal military occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced its intention to annex large portions of the West Bank starting in July, with full backing from the Trump administration.

Israeli control of Palestinian territories is illegal under international law, which is clear in its emphasis on the “inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force.” Despite numerous UN resolutions urging Israel to end its occupation, Israel has chosen to continue on the path of settler-colonialism, apartheid, land seizure and forcible displacement of Palestinians.

Indeed, annexing territory without granting full citizenship rights to the three million Palestinians in the West Bank constitutes apartheid; Palestinians would be left in nominally autonomous and disconnected enclaves under Israeli rule.

We call on the Trudeau government to condemn the annexation and take action against it.

Canada must abide by its stated commitment to international law and the rules-based order by pledging meaningful steps against Israel’s unilateral annexations. This must include the imposition of sanctions, such as suspending the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement and prohibiting all trade with illegal Israeli settlements.

If recent history is any indication, verbal rebukes are insufficient, and only concrete action can ensure that Israel is deterred from its imminent violations of international law.

To add the name of your organization to our growing list of supporters, please contact the Palestinian Canadian Community Centre – Palestine House at palestiniancanadians@gmail.com.