The International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) is an international organization that seeks to coordinate anti-imperialist and democratic movements around the world.[1] Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman José María Sison organized the ILPS in 2001.
On October 8, 2023, ILPS Canada posted on Facebook:
ILPS in Canada reaffirms its support for the Palestinian resistance during the most recent events in Gaza.
On the morning of October 7, the Palestinian resistance in Gaza launched operation “Al-Aqsa Flood”. The resistance took to new heights as bulldozers were used to tear up Zionist-built border fences and Palestinian forces directly confronted the Zionist regime. These actions were taken in part to bargain for the freedom of over 5,200 Palestinian political prisoners currently held in Zionist jails.
ILPS in Canada passed numerous resolutions at our previous National Assembly to support the ongoing struggle of Palestinian political prisoners and to fight the siege on Gaza. As such, we unequivocally support the ongoing struggle for liberation and return in Palestine, and uplift and honour the Palestinian resistance.
In Canada, we must uplift the resistance by demanding that our own governments and institutions stop supporting the Zionist regime. Notably, Canada’s arms sales to Israel have accelerated in recent years, reaching a 30-year high of $19.5 million in 2020. While Israel continues to act with impunity, Canadian-made explosives and vehicles are being used to enact violence on the Palestinian people.
Furthermore, the Canadian bank Scotiabank is now the largest foreign investor in Israeli arms company Elbit Systems Ltd, with a share of more than $500 million. Elbit remains the top supplier of drones used by the Israeli military for attacks on Palestinians, and is also a major supplier of technology to support surveillance by the Israeli military and police.
We call on our members and supporters to show their solidarity with the Palestinian resistance in the coming days. We are aware of the following events and actions this weekend in Canada:
Montreal: Sunday, Oct 8, 2pm, Dorchester Square
Ottawa: Sunday, Oct 8, 2pm, 220 Elgin Street
Edmonton: Sunday, Oct 8, 5pm, Castle Downs Park, 11520 153 Avenue
Vancouver: Monday, Oct 9, 2pm, Vancouver Art Gallery
Toronto: Monday, Oct 9, 2pm, Nathan Philips Square
Resistance until Return and Liberation!
From the river to the sea, Palestine will be Free!
Swords of Iron: War in the South – Hamas’ Attack on Israel
Excerpts from a report published by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (updated on November 16, 2023):
On Saturday 7 October 2023, the religious holiday of Simhat Torah, in an act of war, approximately two thousand terrorists from the Gaza Strip infiltrated Israel by land, sea and air at several locations and advanced towards Israeli communities and population centers. This was carried out in conjunction with indiscriminate rocket fire targeting towns and cities in the south, the center of the country, and Jerusalem with the intent of maximizing harm to civilians.
The terrorists penetrated several southern settlements and began a murderous killing spree of families and individuals in their homes, in the streets and at a music festival that was being held in the area. The terrorists rampaged throughout the region for many hours, during which time they committed atrocities on a scale that have not been seen since the events of the ISIS massacre in Sinjar in 2014.
The evidence found on the ground, the documentation caught on camera by the terrorists themselves and by security cameras, survivors and other sources, as well as survivors’ testimonies, document a horrendous story of attackers devoid of any shred of humanity. Families were slaughtered in their beds, women were viciously raped, and innocent civilians were maimed, killed and in some instances beheaded. In addition, civilians were burnt alive, babies were butchered, and hundreds of men and women were viciously gunned down while simply dancing at a music festival. Upon their return to the Gaza Strip, the terrorists abducted everyone they happened upon – with an emphasis on families, women and children.
Over two hundred Israeli citizens have been abducted and are being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, including small children, women and the elderly. Many of the abductees were injured by Hamas terrorists, many of them need medical treatment and medication, and the condition of many of the abductees is unknown. This is a serious humanitarian crisis and a very fundamental violation of international law, and Israel expects the international community to act in every possible way to protect the rights of the abductees, to ensure proper medical treatment and to provide humanitarian aid to the abductees and their families..
Over the past few days, anti-tank missiles and mortar shells were fired from Lebanese territory at IDF positions on the Lebanese border while terrorists, under the auspices of Hezbollah, attempted to infiltrate Israel.
This means that Israel is at war against the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip. Israel security forces are determined to protect the citizens of Israel on all fronts. The IDF will protect the residents of the State of Israel; the Hamas terror organization and all the terrorists involved in harming the citizens of Israel will pay a very heavy price.
The displacement of tens of thousands of Israelis from their homes in the communities around the Gaza Strip in the wake of the terrorist attack that destroyed their homes and the ongoing rocket fire, and from the northern border communities following the ongoing attacks by Hezbollah on border villages, is posing a significant challenge to Israel. This displacement has intensified the challenging situation in which the survivors of the Hamas massacre in the villages and towns surrounding the Gaza Strip find themselves.
Iran bears direct responsibility for the capabilities of its proxies in the region and therefore also for the use they make of these capabilities.
Additionally, Iran promotes attacks on Israel form other fronts – Lebanon and Syria to the north, using Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations, and from the south using the Houthis, Iran’s proxy in Yemen. This is reflected in the firing of missiles, rockets and mortar shells from the north and the launching of missiles and UAVs towards Israel from the south.
Israel has no wish to expand the fighting into other regions but is ready for such developments and will retaliate fiercely and forcefully. The expansion of the arena of fighting against Israel will be met with a particularly harsh response.
In the aftermath of these events, the extent of Israeli casualties was found to be staggering. The casualty toll in Israel currently stands at approximately 1,400 people murdered and 7,262 wounded. About 239 abductees are being held in the Gaza Strip. There are 287 foreign nationals among the murdered people, as well as 15 among the missing and 120 abducted (including holders of dual citizenship). 34 children – 10 of whom are under the age of 5 – as well as 18 elderly people over 75 are among the abducted.
Over 9,500 missiles and rockets have been fired towards Israel so far. Over 1,000 rockets launched from Gaza have fallen inside the Gaza Strip, often resulting in injuries to Gazan residents and infrastructure – including hospitals and schools.
- Hamas is holding approximately 239 abductees captive in complete denial of their rights and in violation of international law.
- Israel demands that the Red Cross be permitted to visit abductees and supply medicine and medical treatment and expects the Red Cross and the international community to take measures to ensure their safety and to work for their release.
- Approximately 250 thousand Israelis have so far been displaced from their homes in the communities surrounding the Gaza Strip and the northern border and dispersed in various shelters throughout Israel.
IDF forces are operating currently at Shifa Hospital (Wednesday, 15 November), following an early warning that was given to the hospital’s administration. The forces have provided humanitarian equipment, including medicines, baby food and other supplies to the hospital. The forces are accompanied by Arabic-speaking soldiers and medical staff, to ensure the supplies reach their proper destination.
Labour4Palestine, a pan-Canadian network of labour activists, states a day after the Hamas attack on Israel: “We commend Palestinians for their heroic resistance”