https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent...sting-as-israel-hamas-war-continues-1.7039380'
As she worries about the security of her loved ones in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian Canadian Dalia El Farra is also concerned about her safety here in Canada.
"I can't grieve in peace," she told The Current's Matt Galloway. "There's a constant feeling of being attacked and needing to defend myself … and just constantly trying to humanize myself and my people."
It has been a difficult several weeks for Canadians with connections to Gaza. According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, at least 14,000 Gazans have been killed by Israeli bombardment since Oct. 7, including at least 5,500 children — figures deemed reliable by the United Nations.
Among some of Israel's targets in Gaza were refugee camps and ambulance convoys. More than 50 journalists, including 46 Palestinian journalists, have also been killed.
According to Israeli officials, 1,200 Israelis were killed in Hamas's Oct. 7 attack on Israel, with about 240 taken as hostages into Gaza.
Those tensions are spilling over into some of Canada's major cities. In Toronto, a man was arrested in connection with multiple hate-motivated assaults, including a Saturday morning attack on worshippers outside of a mosque.
Police Chief Myron Demkiw said on Thursday there have been 17 reports of anti-Muslim or anti-Palestinian hate crimes in Toronto from Oct. 7 to Nov. 20, a 1,600-per-cent year-over-year increase, alongside a rise in report of antisemitic hate crimes.
El Farra, whose work involves human rights and equity, diversity and inclusion, says she's afraid to speak up because she feels "very disenfranchised and very marginalized" in Canada.
"The narrative coming from our elected officials, from the media, from the systems that are supposed to support me and keep me safe, they're making me feel vulnerable," she said.
"When you have our premier of Ontario calling the pro-Palestinian rallies 'hate protests', that's not making me feel safe," she said. Ontario Premier Doug Ford described pro-Palestinian rallies as "hate rallies" in a social media post on Oct. 8.
People wave Palestinian flags during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Vancouver on Oct. 19. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)
As she worries about the security of her loved ones in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian Canadian Dalia El Farra is also concerned about her safety here in Canada.
"I can't grieve in peace," she told The Current's Matt Galloway. "There's a constant feeling of being attacked and needing to defend myself … and just constantly trying to humanize myself and my people."
It has been a difficult several weeks for Canadians with connections to Gaza. According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, at least 14,000 Gazans have been killed by Israeli bombardment since Oct. 7, including at least 5,500 children — figures deemed reliable by the United Nations.
Among some of Israel's targets in Gaza were refugee camps and ambulance convoys. More than 50 journalists, including 46 Palestinian journalists, have also been killed.
According to Israeli officials, 1,200 Israelis were killed in Hamas's Oct. 7 attack on Israel, with about 240 taken as hostages into Gaza.
Those tensions are spilling over into some of Canada's major cities. In Toronto, a man was arrested in connection with multiple hate-motivated assaults, including a Saturday morning attack on worshippers outside of a mosque.
Police Chief Myron Demkiw said on Thursday there have been 17 reports of anti-Muslim or anti-Palestinian hate crimes in Toronto from Oct. 7 to Nov. 20, a 1,600-per-cent year-over-year increase, alongside a rise in report of antisemitic hate crimes.
El Farra, whose work involves human rights and equity, diversity and inclusion, says she's afraid to speak up because she feels "very disenfranchised and very marginalized" in Canada.
"The narrative coming from our elected officials, from the media, from the systems that are supposed to support me and keep me safe, they're making me feel vulnerable," she said.
"When you have our premier of Ontario calling the pro-Palestinian rallies 'hate protests', that's not making me feel safe," she said. Ontario Premier Doug Ford described pro-Palestinian rallies as "hate rallies" in a social media post on Oct. 8.
People wave Palestinian flags during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Vancouver on Oct. 19. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)
