Canadian Jewish activists paint ‘River of Blood’ on Israeli consulate steps

Jewish Canadians and activists symbolically painted a “river of blood” on the steps of the Israeli consulate in Toronto to represent the human carnage in Gaza over recent days.

Condemning Israel’s violence and occupation, they also demanded the Canadian government to end its support for the Israeli government’s violent policies.

The demonstration was led by World Beyond War, Independent Jewish Voices, Just Peace Advocates, and the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute.

Rabbi David Mivasair, a member of Independent Jewish Voices,  said that the ceasefire is only a temporary lull in violence that has spanned generations and demanded a permanent solution for the human rights issues in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel.

“The ceasefire doesn’t end the injustice and oppression. Palestinians are living under pervasive deprivation, domination, and Israeli oppression. Many of us stand in solidarity with our Palestinian siblings. We say loud and clear, ‘not in our name.’ Israel can no longer continue to commit these atrocities in the name of the Jewish people,” he added.

The protestors demanded the Canadian government to hold Israel accountable for war crimes and stops the Canada-Israel arms trade.

Canada has exported $57 million in weapons to Israel since 2015, including $16 million in bomb-making materials. The Canadian government also recently signed a contract to buy drones from the same Israeli company that supplies 85% of the drones used by the IDF to surveil and attack Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.