Speak Out Action
Be Proud
The keffiyeh is a symbol of resistance. Wear it proudly and show solidarity for your fellow Palestinians on campus, in the diaspora and in Gaza and the West Bank.
Speak Out
We’re encouraging students to take a minute to speak to their classes about what is happening in Palestine right now. We’re providing a template that you can email to your professor to ask for a minute to speak and we’re providing you a proposed “speech” to present to your class; they are just down below. We have an ongoing petition as well: insafuo.com/november2walkout. If possible, write this down on the board for those interested to fill out.
Email Template:
Hello Professor [Professor name], I hope this email finds you well.
I am writing to you today concerning a very prevalent and sensitive issue to thousands of students on our campus and in hopes of allowing me to speak on such a topic at the beginning of class on Friday, November 17th for a few minutes.
Given the recent genocide taking place in Palestine by the Israeli apartheid regime, any type of pro-Palestinian activism has been labeled as hate speech and anti-semetisim from media outlets. Due to these stereotypical injustices against Palestinian activism, many people, including students and staff at our University, have been feeling discriminated against as we feel that our voices do not have significance. The Genocide against the Palestinian people has sparked a significant rise of anti-Arab racism and Islamophobia on our very own campus.
I wanted to reach out to you to see if you would allow me to take two minutes at the beginning of class time this Friday, to quickly spread awareness regarding this genocide that has been unfolding in front of our eyes. Additionally, I would put up a petition link started by INSAF uOttawa (https://insafuo.com/november2walkout), a Palestinian political advocacy club, which calls on University officials to change the status quo. INSAF uOttawa has three clear demands stated in this petition, and I encourage you to have a look at it.
I thank you for your time and consideration towards this sensitive topic, and I hope that you allow me to speak in class on Friday in an attempt to facilitate change at our University.
Best,
[Your name & student number]
Short Speech:
Hello everyone
I’m sure many of you are aware of the situation in Gaza, Palestine right now, but for those who may be unaware or confused, I wanted to speak a little about what’s happening.
Gaza has been under a brutal bombing campaign at the hands of the “israeli” occupation since October 7th. For 48 consecutive days, Gaza has been carpet bombed, with the occupation intentionally targeting schools, mosques, churches, residential buildings, and most devastatingly, hospitals. The death toll has exceeded 20,000 Palestinians, with over 8,000 being children.
In addition to all this, the occupation continues its suffocating siege on the Gaza strip. This complete blockade that has been in place for the last 16 years, has only intensified during the current aggression on Gaza. All medical aid, food, water, and electricity has been cut off from Palestinians in Gaza as a form of collective punishment against a population of over 2 million people. This is an inhumane act of cruelty under any circumstance, but especially given the current situation. Palestinians that don’t die as a direct result of the bombing will die from suffocation under the rubble, injury and burn wounds/infections (as “israel” is using internationally banned phosphorus bombs), starvation, dehydration, and disease due to having no access to proper hygiene.
On November 24th a 4-day “humanitarian pause”, hardly a ceasefire, was agreed upon and has now been extended to 6 days. Among the demands of the ceasefire was the entry of fuel and medical aid trucks to all parts of Gaza. However, the occupation has already prevented fuel from entering northern Gaza and shot at Palestinians attempting to return to their homes, a clear violation of the ceasefire and yet they get away with it, with the backing and funding of the US and Canada.
For those that made it back, over 41,000 homes — 45% of Gaza's total housing — are too destroyed to be lived in. Imagine the horror after having fled your home, given the opportunity to go back and realizing you have nothing to go back to. No clothes, no toys, no oven, nowhere to sleep.
I am speaking to you all today to remind you that just because a temporary ceasefire was called, that does not mean Gaza’s suffering is over. The “israeli” government has made it clear that they intend on carpet bombing southern Gaza after the ceasefire is over (the area of the strip they previously claimed to be the “safe place” for Palestinians to flee to). In addition to the atrocities committed in Gaza, the occupation has also been intensifying their aggression and brutalization of Palestinians in the West Bank with increased invasions into cities and kidnappings. The conditions inside the prisons where Palestinians are unjustly held are horrific, with freed prisoners reporting the lack of food and water and the intensified beatings, to the point of sexual assault, against the prisoners since October 7th.
We cannot remain silent in the face of a clear genocide and a brutal occupation. I hope that you will all take the time to educate yourselves on the dire situation in Palestine right now from the correct sources and take a stance. We are witnessing history right now and it is our responsibility to stand with the oppressed and to stand for justice.
Thank you all. Please follow @insafuottawa on instagram for more updates on Palestine, as well as ways to get involved!