"I don’t think this is too much to ask of Canada, as Canada shouldn’t pick and choose which women it deems more worthy of such an investigation. It should respect and believe all women, including Palestinian women."
January 19, 2024
Since the creation of the state of Israel in 1948, there have been recollections of Israel’s use of sexual violence against Palestinian women. One can look no further than renowned historian Ilan Pappé and his best-selling book The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine. Yet, even with mounting evidence through the years and women being the main victims of Israel’s ongoing bombardment campaign on Gaza, the international community turns a blind eye. Our own Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, claims and boasts about being a feminist and Canada’s adoption of a feminist foreign policy since 2019. Still, Palestinian women seem to be the exception. If Canada’s commitment was really towards women and feminism, shouldn’t Canada investigate Israel’s use of sexual violence against Palestinian women as well? I don’t think this is too much to ask of Canada, as Canada shouldn’t pick and choose which women it deems more worthy of such an investigation. It should respect and believe all women, including Palestinian women.
Fatima Haidar
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME)