ONGOING NAKBA 2023

Three weeks ago, TPFF held a successful and well-supported 16th festival devoted to commemorating 75 years of Nakba. Today, we are witnessing another stage of the Palestinian Nakba (Catastrophe) unfold with the Israeli military genocide of our people in Gaza. We hold true the sanctity of life and stand for its protection. We join the calls for an immediate end to Israel’s air strikes and 16-year long siege of Gaza, for restoration of humanitarian aid, for Canada to stop selling arms to Israel, and for total liberation of Palestine. We must hold our politicians, media and institutions accountable to this.  

After years of organizing festivals that celebrate our identity and share our narratives with our city, we are disheartened to see our community members feeling isolated, marginalized, demoralized and erased. We are disappointed that public institutions are afraid to say ‘Palestine’ in public or lack the courage to recognize Palestinian dignity, humanity and quest for freedom. 

We emphatically value the ongoing contributions of Palestinian artists who share their artistic brilliance and stories in theaters, galleries and art institutions across Canada. We call on our fellow arts organizations to continue programming Palestinian artists and to create a hospitable space for them to share their work and research. Solidarity and support is more important than ever before. We wholeheartedly believe that the arts can be used for mourning, celebration, reflection, learning and most importantly for change. 

We urge our community and friends to keep talking about Palestine. TPFF has created a guide that you can use to learn, share, educate, and take action. We will be updating this list weekly. Please send us your content we might have missed. 

TPFF remains committed to programming Palestinian narratives, supporting Palestinian artists, and creating a space in the city where we can be proudly Palestinian. Free, Free Palestine!  

A note: The horrifying situation in Gaza is deteriorating rapidly. We recognize no words can adequately capture the daily atrocities on the ground. As we wrote this statement, news broke about the Al Ahli Baptist Hospital and Church of St. Porphyrius massacres on protected places where thousands sought refuge from the bombardment. We share in your grief and pain. 

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News Clips

  • Why Hamas Attacked Israel - And What's Next For Gaza (AJ+) 

  • How Western Leaders & Media Are Justifying Israel’s “Genocidal Campaign” Against Palestinians (Democracy Now) 

  • Inside Gaza: Palestinian journalist, 22, says 'it's massacre, complete genocide'( ITV News)

  •  Why Only Palestinians Must Condemn Violence (AJ+)  

  • Israel-Hamas war: Palestinian ambassador to the UK refuses to condemn attacks (Sky News)

  • Gaza’s Health System at a “Breaking Point” Amid Israeli Siege & Bombing (Democracy Now)

  •  What to Know About the Palestinian Breakout from Occupied Gaza (AJ+) 

  • Israel-Hamas War: Piers Morgan Debates Palestinian Mustafa Barghouti Over Conflict (Talk TV)

  • Gaza’s Health System at a “Breaking Point” Amid Israeli Siege & Bombing (Democracy Now) 

  • Decolonize Palestine Resources

  • Quick Facts: The Palestinian Nakba (Via IMEU)

  • Nakba 1948: Selections from the Journal of Palestine Studies 

  • Nakba Survivor

  • Zochrot

  • Is Israel Guilty Of Apartheid Against Palestinians? (Via AJ+) 

  • From Sheikh Jarrah to Gaza: Israel’s war on Palestine ( VIA Let's Talk It Over Show) 

  • REP Rashida Tlaib Explains What Palestinian Nakba Means ( VIA  AJ+ )  

  • Artist & Activist Rana Nazzal on AlJazeera English   

  • Israeli Mobs Hunt Down and Attack Palestinians ( VIA AJ+)

  • Israeli Settlements, Explained (via Vox)

  • Palestinian Writer, Mohammed El-Kurd on CNN

  • Palestine, Occupation Every Day (via AJ+)

  • Palestinian Human Rights Attorney Noura Erakat Talks to CNN, May 18th (Via Jadaliyya) 

  • Ongoing Nakba: Reflections on Palestine from Sheikh Jarrah to Gaza (19 May)" (Via Jadaliyya ) 

  • List of Companies & Products to Boycott ( Via BDS)

  • Story of Palestine By Eman Eman Askar ( Via @emmasworld.101)

  • Why These Israelis Refuse To Join The Army ( Via AJ+)

  • 'This Is Not Clashes': This Palestinian Is Sick Of Western Media, Interview with Mohammed El-Kurd (Via AJ+)

  • She’s Only 10 And Reporting On Israeli Bombings In Occupied Gaza, Interview with Ten-year-old Nadine Abdullatief from Gaza ( ViaAJ+)

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