Montreal Palestinians plan weekend demos to protest situation in Gaza

Montreal Palestinians plan weekend demos to protest situation in Gaza

Members of Montreal”s Palestinian community gathered around an Al Jazeera Arab satellite TV feed on Friday to get the latest on what they call the chaotic border situation in the Gaza strip.


As they watched, they painted posters and prepared for a number of weekend demonstrations where they will call on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to intervene.


Both Egypt and Israel restricted the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza after Hamas won parliamentary elections in 2006.


But in recent days, thousands of Palestinians have been rushing into Egypt to get supplies, after sections of the fence along the frontier were breached.


A group called Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights held a news conference in a small Montreal restaurant on Friday to express its concerns about the plight of people in the Gaza strip.


It says Canada and the world have a duty under the Geneva Convention and the Declaration of Human Rights to ensure the safety and well being of the civilian population.


“I”m frustrated because I can”t understand why the world is watching and is not taking action,” Sabrein Amrov told reporters.


The 18-year-old said it”s serious when a mother doesn”t have milk to give her child.


“We”ve reached a situation where it”s more than just urgent.”


Many of those who attended the news conference still have family and relatives in the Gaza strip.