Features

‘If you do nothing, that amounts to supporting the status quo’: Activism for Palestine and how to sustain it

Originally published at NB Media Coop on December 27, 2023 Solidarity movements for Palestine flare worldwide at an unprecedented level. Over 80 countries have seen rallies rich with Palestinian flags, protests that fill the air with chants of ceasefire, and candlelit vigils that honour the martyred Palestinian people. David Heap, a professor of linguistics and an advocate of universal human rights, offers his insights on effective activism and shares his experiences. He believes all forms of activism are important, that the risk lessens as more people advocate, and that sustaining activism relies on compassionate support networks. He emphasizes that abstaining from…

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‘All of humanity should break out in a fever’: Seven days at Western University’s encampments

Originally published at NB Media Coop on May 24, 2024 Earlier this month, students at Western University in London, Ontario began organizing encampments demanding divestment from companies funding genocide. Western University currently invests $33.6 million in companies complicit in Israel’s violent occupation of Palestine. The first encampment was on May 1 and ran from noon to midnight; the second was on May 8 and was also planned from noon to midnight, but instead became indefinite from that point onwards. The following is an account of the encampment’s first seven days. *** “When one part of humanity aches, all of humanity…

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Nakba survivor and former PLO member recounts the history of Zionism

Originally published at NB Media Coop on August 6, 2024 On Saturday, June 22, Ahmed Abu Shawish spoke at the student encampments at Western University. A Nakba survivor who served in the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), Shawish, speaking in Arabic translated by an attendee into English, delivered a critique of  the history of Zionism – the movement that led to the creation of Israel. The Nakba – “the catastrophe” – refers to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in 1948 by Israeli forces. Thousands of Palestinians were ousted or killed; their homes were stolen, their villages destroyed; and millions were sentenced…

Read MoreNakba survivor and former PLO member recounts the history of Zionism