Ghada Sasa is a PhD candidate at McMaster University. Her research spotlights Israel’s establishment of protected areas, such as national parks and nature reserves, to colonize Palestine, Indigenous resistance, and progressive environmentalism. Sasa ia a third-generation Palestinian in Canada and a member of CUPE local 3906.
On January 28, 2024, Ghada Sasa posted on X:
Anytime, I see pro-Palestine comrades raise the Canadian flag or stand for the Canadian anthem, I cringe. Canada is a settler colony just like Israel before being its ally. Down with Canada. Down with Israel.
Ghada Sasa published posts on X supporting the “Palestinian violent resistance” referring to the attack on Israel by the Islamic Resistance Movement – Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad on October 7, 2023:
We called on the NDP to:
1. Declare that Israel is an apartheid settler colony.
2. Recognize that Palestinians have a moral and legal right to violent resistance against colonization as per UNGA resolution 37/43.
3. End its deal with the Liberals if they don’t stand w Palestine.
Violent resistance to colonialism is both moral & legal: UNGA Resolution 37/43 (1982) reaffirmed the legitimacy of “the struggle of peoples for […] liberation from colonial and foreign domination and foreign occupation by all available means, including armed struggle.”
Palestinian violent resistance is moral & legal. Palestinian violent resistance is moral & legal. #FreePalaestine #Decolonization
I read this post as I was just thinking how to formulate mine. 2 days ago I was interviewed by @CBCHamilton & I have also been misinterpreted to make it look like I condemn Palestinian violent resistance, despite having clearly supported it during the interview & forever on X.
Allies, either center Palestinian voices or don’t speak at all. I’m sick of hypocritical denunciations of Palestinian violent resistance. #PalestineResists
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs published an update on the attack on Israel by the Islamic Resistance Movement – Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad on October 7, 2023 (Updated to December 16, 2023):
Israel is currently engaged in a war with Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip, following the horrific attack carried out by these armed groups against Israel on October 7, involving the massacre of over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals and the wounding of thousands more, the commission of acts of unspeakable barbarism and cruelty, including burning people alive, beheadings, mutilation, torture and sexual violence, and the abduction into Gaza of over 240 hostages, including babies, children and the elderly.
Since October 7, Hamas and other terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip have also continued to carry out constant attacks against Israeli civilians, including the indiscriminate firing of over 12,000 rockets and mortars at Israeli cities, towns and kibbutzim across the country, causing deaths, physical and mental injury, destruction and damage to property and the displacement of over 150,000 Israelis.