Up to ten thousands people marched through the Montreal downtown on Sunday August 10th to show their solidarity with Palestinians and to demand an end to the Canadian government’s complicity with Israeli policies of occupation and apartheid. Today’s protest marks the largest of over ten Palestinian solidarity demonstrations that have taken place in Montreal since Israel began its offensive against Gaza on July 8th.

Protesters demanded an end to Israel’s current bombing of Gaza in addition to the lifting of the crippling 7-year Israeli blockade that has left the population trapped and helpless.   

Protest organizers called for:

• An immediate end to all forms of Israeli aggression
• An end to the blockade of Gaza
• An end to Israeli occupation and colonization of Palestinian territories
• A real solution to the conflict, based on justice and respect for international law
• A radical change in the shameful policies of the government and Canadian politicians in general

Protesters called on people of conscience to boycott, divest, and sanction Israeli Apartheid through the international BDS campaign.

The protest was endorsed by over 50 Quebec-based organizations including:

• Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (ASSE)
• Association québécoise des organismes de coopération international (AQOCI)
• Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ)
• Collective Echec à la guerre
• Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN)
• Fédération des femmes au Québec (FFQ)
• Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec (FTQ)
• Québec Solidaire
• Bloc Québecois
• Parti communiste du Québec
• Voix juives indépendantes (VJI)
• Option Nationale

Mario Beaulieu, the leader of the Bloc Québecois marched through the streets and gave an interview to Under the Olive Tree, where he called on Israel to respect international law and urged Canadian political parties to take a more ethical stance and end their unwavering support for Israel.  Mr. Beaulieu’s interview comes days after an open letter to the NDP, Canada’s federal government opposition party, was released condemning the opposition party’s week stance against Israel’s violations of international law.

Tune in to Under the Olive Tree this Thursday, August 14 at 11am on CKUT 90.3 FM or www.ckut.ca to hear all interviews we conducted during Sunday’s protest.

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Under the Olive Tree is a Montreal-based community radio program in solidarity with Palestinians aired live every Thursday from 11am – 12 noon on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal and on CFRC 101.9FM in Kingston, Ontario.

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