By
Tamer Abo Asood
EDMONTON,
April 8 (IslamOnline) - Calls for the end of Israeli occupation of
Palestine echoed down Whyte Avenue in Edmonton Sunday, April 7, as
around 500 people of various religious and cultural backgrounds
marched in a peaceful demonstration in support of helpless unarmed
Palestinians.
The
march down one of Edmonton’s busiest avenues began around 11:30 in
the morning at Corbett Hall on the University of Alberta campus.
Chants of “Self determination, End the occupation” filled the
avenue as the march proceeded eastwards to Gazebo Park. Marchers
carried Palestinian and Canadian flags as well as signs denouncing
Israeli invasions of Palestinian cities.
The
theme of the rally, organized by Canadians for Equality and Peace for
Palestinians (CEPPAAL) was “End the occupation – End the
violence” and called for Israel to withdraw completely from all of
the territories occupied in 1967 as per U.N. Resolution 242, as a
precursor to a just and sustainable peaceful future.
Demonstrators
also called for all displaced Palestinians to have the right to return
to their homes and lands. The integrity and accessibility of all holy
places for Muslims, Christians and Jews in Palestine to be restored,
respected and protected was also part of their appeal to Canadians and
their government.
The
focus of the rally was to open the eyes of Canadians and the
government to the brutality of the Israeli occupation forces and to
demand human rights for the Palestinian people. Representatives of
most local news media were present and the march met with claps and
shouts of encouragement from passers by. The Edmonton Police Service
escorted the 30-minute march down Whyte Avenue.
Demonstrators
listened to a speech detailing the abuses of Red Crescent ambulance
drivers as well as a fiery address by a Lutheran priest denouncing the
colonialist policies of the Israeli government.
Demonstrations
in Canada have been going on since Friday, April 5, when hundreds of
Palestinian supporters rallied outside Calgary City Hall and broke
into chants when hawkish Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was
compared to Adolph Hitler.
