Caledonia Players: Anti-Israel Organizations

Niagara Palestine Association

MostlyWater.org, May 08/06: Palestinian flag raised in support of Caledonia land claims dispute [PDF]

Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (McMaster University)

McMaster University, March 09/08: The Politics of Six Nations-Palestinian Alliances in Caledonia (conference program) [CVP DOWNLOAD – incl transcript of SPHR speaker Jamila Ghaddar: PDF] (Speakers: Mona Hewaydi (Cdn Arab Federation); Jamila Ghaddar (Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights); Rick Monture (Six Nations activist)
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Excerpts from transcript of Jamila Ghaddar (Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights) presentation:

“SPHR [Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights] members, two weeks after the sacred fire was first built [at start of DCE occupation], went as a delegation with other members of the Palestinian Solidarity Movement from Toronto to join that sacred fire, that simple stand.” […]
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“That dual consciousness became one on the night that SPHR [Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights] members listened to Dr. [???] speak, an indigenous fighter and a great, learned man stood on our university campus and he said, I quote: ““A victory for the American Indians of Palestine is a victory for the Palestinians of North America, and a victory for the Palestinians of North America is a victory for the American Indians of Palestine.” End quote. “These words floated in the air, in our minds, in our lives for years. And one day they became a material force in this world when SPHR [Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights] and other solidarity organizations joined the struggle with the Haudenosaunee at the reclamation site.” […]
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“On April 20, 2006, without notice, at 4 am, the Canadian state launched a full scale military invasion against 100 or so people. They came w/hundreds of troops and thousands in backup at the Hamilton Airport and here, on campus, at McMaster.They came with helicopters equipped with machine guns and snipers hidden in trees. They flooded the site with tear gas and pepper spray. They beat and tasered unarmed Haudenosaunee. SVHR [Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights] members stood watching the madness of the Canadian state unleashed. And for those of us who had lived under military occupation in our own home countries one simple thought overwhelmed us: this looks like home. That day what illusions we had left about Canada a calm, moderate, reasonable, democratic system based on the rule of a just law, what illusions we had disappeared for us. […]
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CVP NOTE: The Canadian Forces have never been involved in any aspect of the Caledonia crisis either before or after the April 20/06 raid. In fact, on May 03/06 the Ontario Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Monte Kwinter sent a letter to the occupation leadership advising that he was NOT asking for assistance from the Canadian Forces. See also – Haldimand Council, May 23/06: Minutes of in-camera meeting re attack on power station, decision not to ask for military protection. [PDF]
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“One of the proudest moments in the lives of McMaster SPHR [Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights] and my life and the Palestinian Solidarity Movement was the day that the Palestinian flag was raised over the reclamation site. That day the Niagara Palestinian Association along with the Haudenosaunee people, hoisted and raised the Palestinian flag alongside the flags of the Haudenosaunee, of various other countries, of unions and many organizations. In the months following, through cold and moments of exhaustion and worry we would raise our eyes to the swaying of the flags and think, we are one, and the winds carry our colours together from Jerusalem to the Grand River.”
Toronto Observer, Feb 27/08: Protestors take Palestinian ‘spirit of resistance’ to the streets [PDF] (Jamila Ghaddar, McMaster Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights, speaks at anti-Israel protest in Toronto organized by ‘Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid.’)