The Cost of Humanity: Ceasefire Advocates Face Backlash

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Protesters holding signs inside a building, advocating to stop arming Israel, calling for a ceasefire.

Families of Hostages: Voices for Ceasefire in a Vengeful Climate

In Israel, the families of hostages and those advocating for their return have emerged as the strongest proponents of a ceasefire. Yet, their plea for preserving human life over unrestrained vengeance has subjected them to persecution and harassment. Within the prevailing Israeli discourse, anyone calling for a ceasefire is often labelled a traitor. This hostility underscores the ideological stranglehold of the Israeli regime, where advocating for life and justice is a radical act.

Take Ayala Metzger, whose relatives were kidnapped from Nir Oz and abandoned by the government.

“But Metzger is not merely a relative who occasionally joins protests in support of a hostage deal. Within several months of the war breaking out, she had come to believe that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the “main obstacle” to bringing back the hostages, choosing to prolong Israel’s onslaught on Gaza at their expense.

Today, she is one of the most prominent voices among the hostage families, demanding an immediate end to a war that has killed over 44,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 100,000 others—transforming her, as she puts it, into an “anti-regime dissident.”

Over-Policing Protest: A Global Phenomenon

Excessive Force in Montreal

Montreal offers a parallel narrative of suppression. A coalition of advocacy groups has denounced the city’s police for overpolicing pro-Palestinian protesters. Defence lawyer Barbara Bedont highlighted over 55 cases of charges against demonstrators, many of which were marked by excessive use of force. Recently, charges were dropped against three individuals accused of criminally harassing Immigration Minister Marc Miller after video evidence revealed no crime had occurred. Activists argue this overreach reflects a systematic misuse of the law.

For instance, Mohanned Mansour, Samar Alkhdour, and Wendy Ing—initially accused of harassment and mischief—called for Miller’s apology and resignation, pointing to the miscarriage of justice. According to Ted Rutland, an associate professor at Concordia University who focuses on urban security and policing, “Police officers have a duty, in all situations, to choose the action that would be the least harmful to the citizen and to themselves.” A principle increasingly absent in these scenarios.

Read more on Montreal’s pro-Palestinian protests and police conduct.

Jewish Solidarity for Palestine: Voices of Conscience

Protesters hold banners saying Jews Say Stop and Jews Demand Arms Embargo at a rally against oppression.

Activism in Ottawa and Toronto

In Canada, Jewish voices (https://linktr.ee/jewssaynotogenocide) have amplified the call for justice. In December 2024, 100 Jewish Canadians and allies occupied Ottawa’s parliamentary buildings, demanding an arms embargo against Israel. Fourteen were arrested while singing peace songs.

Among them was Rabbi David Mivasair, who wrote on Twitter: “Someone in Canada has to do a test case to stop the police and courts from suppressing protected political speech by using arrests and then dropping charges. They did this to me—spend probably $100K “investigating”—and then the Crown dropped the charges. It’s a misuse of law.

Montreal: A Shabbat for Gaza

In Montreal, Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) hosted “Shabbat for Gaza” to foster solidarity and demand a ceasefire. Attendees crafted protest posters and sent reflective postcards to MPs, urging them to examine their complicity.

Corey Balsam, the national coordinator for Independent Jewish Voices, said he wanted the event to be a place where people could come together and discuss without tension. “We wanted to show that this isn’t about Jews versus Muslims or Jews versus Palestinians,” he said. “There are many, many Jews who are in support of Palestinians.” Read more here.

Bridging Divides: A Shared Future

Can one be Jewish and pro-Palestinian? Yes, but it comes at a cost, according to four Jewish Montrealers who have been outspoken in their criticism of Israel and their support for Palestinians and who are taking heat from their community as a result. Read more here.

David, a member of IJV, noted a shift among Jewish communities: “The bloodshed is too much. Supporting Palestine is the best way to support Jews. We’ve got to live together; there’s no other option.”

David believes it’s essential to challenge the notion that any criticism of Israel is inherently antisemitic.

“When Jews like us say it’s not antisemitic to criticize a state and denounce human rights abuses and wanton genocide, people say, ‘I can talk about it too,’” he explained.

“This is about our community and people doing things in the name of our community. Supporting Palestine is the best way to support Jews. We’ve got to live together; there’s no other option.

Matthew Friedman, a history lecturer at Rutgers University, exemplifies the moral imperative to challenge injustice.

His critique of Israel’s actions has sparked both vitriol and gratitude within Jewish communities. “I began to realize there are a whole bunch of people out there,” Matthew Friedman, “from all backgrounds and ethnic groups, but primarily Jewish people who felt beaten down by this propaganda onslaught from the more Zionist-inclined members of the community, organizations, and whatnot.”

Friedman invokes the Jewish tradition of “speaking truth to power” and “pursuing justice” as central to his advocacy. “Here’s the problem,” he said. “We have to talk about this stuff. We can’t just let it go on. We have to ask: What is our obligation as Jews? The Torah demands us to pursue justice. In the tradition of tikkun olam, we have an obligation to repair the world.

As the walls of silence crumble, Jewish voices illuminate the path forward. Upholding justice and preserving life demand solidarity across borders, faiths, and ideologies.

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Nancy Perin

Nancy is a caring individual with a background in sociology and a strong desire to connect people. She has improved workplaces and communities with her almost two decades of experience in management teams, human resources, coaching, and community project management. Nancy has also served on the board of directors of the Italian Personnel Managers Association and participated in a humanitarian mission to Dakar, Senegal, to support family centres.

Her intercultural love story sparked her interest in migration-relatedtopics and led her to launch @journeysta, a project that aims to strengthen cultural ties between Canada and Italy.

Nancy oversees the Gallery of Human Migration and believes in the possibility of creating caring communities that are involved in the processes of welcoming, acceptance, and integration. Join her on this journey of discovery and cultural exchange.

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