Palestine Supporters Keep Rallying as Crisis Heats Up Globally

145 protesters rallied at the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in Victoria, for the forty-first weekend in a row, to demand a ceasefire in Gaza and freedom for Palestine.

Though the turnout has been the lowest so far at the peak of the summer holiday season, the stakes have never been higher since the conflict escalated last October. News of the impact of Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) against the Zionist regime have just culminated with the announcement of Eilat Port’s bankruptcy after months of Yemeni blockade. Tensions between Israel and Yemen have escalated to the point the former ordered retaliatory air strikes after the latter launched a drone at Tel Aviv.

Then a historical ruling by the ICJ condemned Israel’s annexation of Palestinian territory and keeping its people in a state of apartheid. Of course the ruling isn’t binding, will not change anyone’s mind, and the powers that be shall refuse to implement it anyway. Yet this is another diplomatic blow both to Israel, which refuses to abide by international law and rulings, as well as to a shrinking block of Western powers committed to colonising the Middle East.

Yet the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is what made most of an impression on the attendance today. Months of blockades and UNRWA scares leading to massive defunding have led to a state of famine, and it isn’t the UK’s new government promising to restore the UN agency’s funding that will change this. Furthermore, Israel withholding tax revenue meant for the Palestinian Authority threatens its outright collapse.

Meanwhile, the People’s Park encampment at the University of Victoria has received an explicit trespass notice, threatening eviction past a Monday at 8AM deadline to vacate the premises, that after a collapse of negotiations betraying last week’s optimism. A spokesperson today condemned the administration in the strongest terms. The encampment has yet to announce how it means to respond.

Of course the escalation was reflected on the ground. Alongside the march, supporters were exuberant, while detractors were contrastingly hostile. Among the latter, one lady hugged the flag-wearing Zionist counterprotesters, although she apparently proved too unhinged even for them because they quickly distanced themselves from her. In the past month I’ve observed that cracks are forming throughout society such that the unthinkable becomes normalised and the unspeakable takes over civil discourse, and Palestine has brought this polarisation to the fore, the friction sparking the damnedest reactions at rallies.