[Image Credit: Roger Peet, Justseeds Artists’ Cooperative]
The statement below was originally written in response to the recent escalation of violence against Palestinians and as a call for solidarity with Palestine. By the time the statement was ready to publish, horrific and painful events have continued cascading one after another. The validation of stories collected during the Truth & Reconciliation Commission (and well before) and the recent vicious attack on a Muslim family, together with the brutal occupation of Palestine, are all strands of a same web. The colonial violence, xenophobia and hate manifested in these events are all threads that lead back to white supremacy.
White supremacy must be combated. It is a matter of life and death.
Our thoughts go out to all those who have suffered from these recent events.
The Bus Stop Theatre Co-op stands in solidarity with Palestinians and denounces the military and settler occupation of Palestine by the state of Israel.
Just as we stand against colonial violence at home, we must denounce it in all instances.
As members of the co-operative movement, we espouse values of equity, solidarity and social responsibility. As such, we have a responsibility to speak out against the violent aggression perpetrated against the people of Palestine.
As Jewish Voice for Peace explains:
“The violence between Israelis and Palestinians is often falsely presented as a conflict between two equal sides with irreconcilable claims to one piece of land.
In reality, this is a conflict over territory between a nation-state, Israel, with one of the world’s most powerful and well-funded militaries, and an indigenous population of Palestinians that has been occupied, displaced, and exiled for decades.”
We encourage those in our own communities to inform themselves about the occupation of Palestine; denounce racism, white supremacy, and islamophobia; and call on the state of Israel to comply with UN resolutions that demand an end to settlements and work toward a peaceful rehabilitation of Palestine’s autonomy and self-determination.
In co-operation and solidarity,
The Bus Stop Theatre Co-op
Resources:
Independent Jewish Voices: https://www.ijvcanada.org/
The Electronic Intifada: https://electronicintifada.net/
The Real News Network: https://therealnews.com/category/sections/politics-and-movements-international
