What Does One Say After Twenty-two Weeks of Genocide?

Over three hundred Palestine supporters rallied once again in Victoria, for the twenty-second weekend in a row, to demand a ceasefire in Gaza and freedom for Palestine, amidst a genocide which killed tens of thousands and threatens to starve nearly two million more to death.

The emcee started the event by declaring she was at a loss for words after twenty-two weeks of genocide. So am I. It’s a bit difficult to explain into words what a tidal wave of global outrage fuelled by an endless flood of graphic footage couldn’t already, to people either without any common ground with us or completely indifferent to even the worst human rights violations unless they’re the ones targeted. And it gets particularly difficult on the twenty-second weekend, because by then it’s all been said ad nauseam.

I could talk about today’s speeches, which as of late have been fewer and shorter. They of course revolved around International Women’s Day, which was yesterday. Indeed the speakers emphasised how bad timing it was for expectant mothers in Gaza, without a functional hospital, basic medical supplies, sanitation, or even food. But then I talked about that yesterday indeed, and in prior articles as well.

I could also update the statistics, starting with the total casualty count, but let’s be frank: at the tens of thousands mark, it becomes tedious and meaningless, especially since the actual count is certainly lagging behind. Many more victims are certain to be found—or not—beneath the rubble. There isn’t even enough of an infrastructure left in Gaza to keep track of the dead or missing, so your guess is as good as mine.

I could very well put a face on those statistics, such as that of Yazan Kafarneh, a ten-year-old boy who starved to death in Gaza. But no one who isn’t already consternated would care, especially after Israeli propaganda swept the mainstream media and stubbornly refuses to die. As for the Zionists, they would call it fake news, claim he belonged to Hamas, and equate anti-Zionism with antisemitism.

I could in contrast lash out at the Zionists, who made a resurgence at the rally today. But they’re as shameless and delusional as MAGA Trumpists, their rhetoric getting more offensive by the day and similarly creeping into the mainstream as the public’s capacity for outrage wears off. This stance is reciprocal by the way; today one of their regulars got bored of attempting to disrupt the speeches with a megaphone spouting his usual vitriol, and walked away before the march.

Which isn’t to say this is all futile, in spite of the extreme weariness setting in on both sides and everywhere in-between. This week alone, two of our demands were met. The first was the resignation of Selina Robinson from the BC NDP caucus, after disgracing herself with terra nullius comments which drew consternation across the political landscape. The second one was Canada resuming its funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, after allegations by the Israeli government of complicity with Hamas were found to be unsubstantiated. Protests are slowly but surely achieving results, as meagre as they look.

If you want more of the same old, there’s another action planned at Scotiabank next Friday, which would make it the third at that location. Or if you prefer something new, you can register for Saturday’s Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage Walk, organised by Kairos Victoria. Either way, make sure to attend the next rally at the Legislature, also on Saturday but this time starting at 2PM. And remember: this ritual may be depressing and wearisome, but it is not futile.