More than 100 people with Palestinian flags and banners have blocked truck access to the Port of Vancouver, frustrated with Canada’s sale of military goods to Israel and its decision to pause funding to the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency.
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority said Thursday officials are “aware of protest activity blocking vehicle access to port roads” and are monitoring the situation.
It confirmed blockades have been set up at both entrances to the port at Clark Drive and Commissioner Street, and a statement from protesters says they’re calling on the federal government to immediately enact an arms embargo on Israel.
Protester Maryam Adrangi told Global News she hopes the demonstration sends a “pretty clear message” to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet that “there are so many people all over Canada who are watching what you’re doing, and are really unimpressed, and are really going to keep standing up to say that this is unjustified.”
More than a dozen countries, including Canada, have paused their funding to the UN Palestinian refugee agency, also known as UNRWA, in the wake of allegations that some of its staff members were involved in the attacks on Israel last October.
On Tuesday, Canada announced it would be sending an additional $40 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza, but those funds were not allocated to the UNRWA. It’s unclear whether Ottawa’s freeze on the UNRWA applies to funds in the process of rolling out or funds promised but not yet in the process of delivery.
Adrangi alleged the federal government is supporting “genocide” in Palestine, echoing the accusation made by South African in its recent case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Earlier this month, it asked the ICJ to order an emergency suspension of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, accusing it of state-led genocide. Israel defended itself against the claims, stating its military response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack is legitimate.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly has said Canada is following the case, but its support for the international court’s work “does not mean that we accept the premise of the case brought by South Africa.”
Adrangi said she’s not sure how long the group will maintain the blockades.
In a notice obtained by The Canadian Press, the port authority said police are on site and protesters were allowing personal vehicles to leave the port, but they’re otherwise blocking access at the two entry points.
Traffic camera photos on the City of Vancouver website show protesters blocking the intersection of Clark Drive and Hastings Street, while several semi-trucks appear to be waiting in a line near the port’s entrance.
The Vancouver port is Canada’s largest, facilitating trade of about $305 billion in goods annually and generating $11.9 billion in annual gross domestic product.
— with files from Global News’ Elizabeth McSheffrey and Saba Aziz