By Toronto World BEYOND War, May 23, 2025
On Wednesday May 21, day 592 of this phase of genocide, and the 77th year of the Nakba, Toronto World BEYOND War showed up alongside Oakville for Palestine and allies at the office of the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand, to demand action.
We showed up as a group of constituents, members of the public, as mothers, fathers, children, as human beings to ask her to do her job as Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. To end Canada’s support of this genocide.
View this post on Instagram
We have been pleading with her to call for an arms embargo for over a year and a half. We have been met with silence.
We have watched these horrors livestreamed for 19 months and Canada has been named as complicit in these crimes by organizations like Amnesty International and the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention.
Gaza has been under complete siege for 80 days. On Tuesday when Israel allowed a meagre 5 trucks in, of those 5 trucks, 2 were not filled with aid, but with body bags. Even then, the Israeli occupation prohibited the distribution of any scraps of aid from those trucks. On Tuesday the United Nations humanitarian chief said that 14,000 babies were at risk of dying in the next 48 hours without sufficient aid. This aid is sitting at the boarder ready to enter, but being blocked by Israel. Baby formula, incubators, medicines, food, water, fuel, medicines.
Israeli Minister Smotrich told us that from these trucks entering, “the bare minimum will reach the population – simply so the world doesn’t stop us and accuse us of war crimes”, and that Israel is “destroying everything left in the Gaza Strip”, having just launched a major escalation in violence.
What is happening in Gaza is beyond a genocide, it is a targeted attack on all life and all those who protect life. With the backing of many countries including Canada, Israel has bombed every single hospital in Gaza. They have killed over 1,400 healthworkers, they have executed patients, they have bombed sleeping families sheltering in tents on hospital grounds. How much military equipment from right here in Canada goes into facilitating those barbaric attacks?
Just this week, Israel put 2 hospitals out of service, stopping all cancer care for any patients in Gaza. Just 2 days ago, Israel bombed the medical warehouse of the Nasser Medical Complex, destroying essential medications and supplies. These are targeted attacks on all life and those who protect life.
On Monday Canada, Great Britain, and France issued a joint statement stating “We will not stand by while the Netanyahu Government pursues these egregious actions. If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response.” Where are these actions? The Israeli occupation has told us clearly that they will not stop, that they want to annihilate Palestinians and steal their land. We demand actions, an arms embargo, sanctions! Even if they come 19 months too late.
Issuing a two way arms embargo is one of the most impactful actions Canada can take in this urgent moment. Canada exports over a billion dollars in military goods to the United States per year – the vast majority without permits, regulation, or tracking of their final destination. These are integrated into hundreds of weapons systems including warships, drones, fighter jets, artillery and missiles and then sent on to other countries including Israel – with every F-35 fighter jet dropping 2,000lb bombs on Gaza having essential parts made right here in Canada. Canada also buys weapons from Israel using millions of our tax dollars – weapons they “battle test” in Palestine against men, women, children, Elders, hospitals, schools, refugee camps, mosques, schools, farm land…
Enough is enough. We are here to demand real action to end Canadian complicity in the genocide, and this starts with a full two way arms embargo. This means Canada should not buy any weapons from Israel and all weapons exports from Canada to Israel must be stopped, including the closure of loopholes that allow these weapons to flow through the US. We want full sanctions and demand the suspension of the Canada- Israel Free Trade Agreement.
Here are some words from Gaza Medic Voices, health workers in Palestine fighting against death, destruction, and genocide, those witnessing some of the impact of Canadian weapons.
“The terror is all day and all night, continuous fear. We miss our loved ones and don’t even know how to grieve them. We don’t have time to grieve. We are moving from one place to another constantly. I don’t know what to tell you.”
– DOCTOR, GAZA, 19/05/25
“Downright madness over here. Non stop explosions, shootings, bombings, etc. from all directions. I don’t think insanity could be better defined. I don’t know what to say really, it’s just beyond belief. The north is just horror.”
– PSYCHIATRIST, NORTHERN GAZA, 18/05/25
“The paediatric ICU is full. We had to open an extension. It burns your heart. What is their crime? It’s all small children. It’s beyond imagination.”
– PAEDIATRIC ICU DOCTOR, GAZA, 19/05/25
“I was in the Emergency Department of the European Hospital, caring for some injured children coming from east Khan Younis. We treated them and then discharged them. They walked out of the Emergency Department and were hit and killed right there when the Israeli occupation army bombed the hospital. They were waving at me. Oh God, it was a very painful day.” – NURSE, EUROPEAN GAZA HOSPITAL, 17/05/25
“We have accepted a lot of destruction, killing, displacement and genocide, but the occupation was not satisfied with this. Now, leaflets have been thrown on our tents and what remains of our homes, and we have been asked to leave. But where will I go with my children and what will I take with me? I hope to wake up from this nightmare, the end of which I do now know.”
– NURSE, GAZA, 31/03/2025
Anita Anand, you are helping to create and sustain these nightmares. We will keep showing up to call on you, again, to end Canadian complicity in these barbaric crimes. We know that you have the authority to do this and do not have to wait for parliament to resume. No Canadian money, weapons, support or trade agreements for the genocidal Israeli state. We are here in full solidarity with the 2.1 million Palestinians still alive, on their land, resisting genocide. Arms Embargo Now. Sanctions Now. Free Palestine.
2 Responses
Anita Anand, you are helping to create and sustain these nightmares. We will keep showing up to call on you, again, to end Canadian & American complicity in these barbaric crimes. We know that you have the authority to do this and do not have to wait for parliament to resume. No Canadian & American money, weapons, support or trade agreements for the genocidal Israeli state. We are here in full solidarity with the 2.1 million Palestinians still alive, on their land, resisting genocide.
Arms Embargo Now.
Sanctions Now.
Free Palestine.
“I was in the Emergency Department of the European Hospital, caring for some injured children coming from east Khan Younis. We treated them and then discharged them. They walked out of the Emergency Department and were hit and killed right there when the Israeli occupation army bombed the hospital. They were waving at me. Oh God, it was a very painful day.” – NURSE, EUROPEAN GAZA HOSPITAL, 17/05/25 This quote says it all!
Arms Embargo Now.
Sanctions Now.
Free Palestine.
Demand the new Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sanction Israel: Anita Anand, you are helping to create and sustain these nightmares. We will keep showing up to call on you, again, to end Canadian & American complicity in these barbaric crimes. We know that you have the authority to do this and do not have to wait for parliament to resume. No Canadian nor American money, weapons, support or trade agreements for the genocidal Israeli state. We are here in full solidarity with the 2.1 million Palestinians still alive, on their land, resisting genocide.
Arms Embargo Now.
Sanctions Now.
Free Palestine.
“I was in the Emergency Department of the European Hospital, caring for some injured children coming from east Khan Younis. We treated them and then discharged them. They walked out of the Emergency Department and were hit and killed right there when the Israeli occupation army bombed the hospital. They were waving at me. Oh God, it was a very painful day.” – NURSE, EUROPEAN GAZA HOSPITAL, 17/05/25 This quote says it all!
We are in full solidarity with the 2.1 million Palestinians still alive, on their land, resisting genocide.
Arms Embargo Now.
Sanctions Now.
Free Palestine.