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After the attacks by Hamas on 7 October in Israel came the military response, which is still ongoing against Gaza, with the massive support of Jewish populations around the world. However, there are dissenting voices in these communities that, in the chaos of war and the sound of bombs, find it difficult to be heard. La Converse met Adrian* and Corey Balsam, two Montrealers of Jewish faiths, two voices for peace in Israel and Palestine.

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“Israel, a country that exists so that we can exist”

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Twelve hours before the planned Montreal pro-Palestinian demonstration on 13 October, Adrian, who grew up in Haifa, in northern Israel, confides: “Tomorrow, I will stay at home and I will not join a possible counter-demonstration with my Israeli flag.” His motivations are clear: to protect himself and to avoid exposing himself to antisemitic reactions. “I, in any case, will not wear my kippa for the next few weeks,” he says, referring to the fear shared by many Montreal Jews.

A Moldovan national, Adrian often thinks back to the day that brought the Israeli-Palestinian issue back to the forefront of the news. “When I learned about the Hamas attack, I was surprised, confused and angry at the same time,” he reports. A call to a friend in Israel made him realize how close he was to the situation, despite the distance. “His girlfriend was kidnapped and cannot be found. His other friends lost their lives during the Rave party in the Negev desert.” Without news of the young woman, Adrian assumes that she is dead.

Adrian condemns Israel's reaction unequivocally. “I can't find the right words to describe my emotion and my turmoil. I feel immense sadness for the Palestinians who have been bombed and for the defenseless Gazans. They have no one to protect them. And while I don't want my people to be attacked or massacred, I know that the Israeli response is disproportionate.. ”

Adrian's anger and sorrow also grew with the upsurge in antisemitic acts: “In Australia, three days after the attacks, some demonstrators were chanting “Gas the Jews! Gas the Jews!” I can't believe that in 2023, we are still facing such horrors. When I see that some of my Muslim friends do not clearly condemn Hamas, I have the feeling that they could turn against me, that they could become the ones who, one day, would want to gas me. We have not yet turned the page on the Holocaust, and our grandparents who lived through it are still alive,” he says passionately.

Adrian paused, then continued in a softer tone: “A lot of us live in exile. As Jews, we are often faced with this question: who will protect us? What country will be there for us? Canada? No! He won't be there. It should not be forgotten that, during the Second World War, the deadliest period for Jews, Canada adopted the policy called” None Is Too Many ” (None is still too much) to limit the arrival of Jewish refugees. All I know is that no one can gas us as long as there is Israel, a country that exists so that we can exist.”

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“Who is responsible for this disaster? ”

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“Who is responsible for everything that happens? Who is responsible for this disaster? ” he asks. The child from Haifa, now 27, condemns Hamas, considering unacceptable and unjustifiable the deliberate murder of Israeli citizens, whether children, men, women or the elderly. However, he blames the Israeli government for its inability to find a way out of the conflict. “I also condemn it for the bombings in Gaza, but I cannot do more,” he said in a resigned tone.

Since October 7, Adrian has been oscillating between anger and unanswered questions. “How could this have happened? Israel is supposed to have the best army, the best security system. How could Hamas get around this iron wall, which, by the way, I find ridiculous? It's supposed to be highly secure, with cameras, soldiers, sensors! Even a mosquito cannot cross these barriers without the Israeli authorities being informed. Did they underestimate the situation? Israel failed to protect us,” he exclaims with great frustration in his voice.

“This year we have seen numerous demonstrations in Israel against Netanyahu. This war will determine his future in the country.” On the other hand, Adrian feels that it is too simplistic to blame only the government and its leader. “This problem is not new. Israel has historically supported a two-state solution and recognized the Palestinian authority even before the intifadas, but Hamas refuses to recognize Israel.”

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Sacrificing humanity on the altar of power

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Having shaped an essential part of his identity living in Israel, Adrian notes that people in the West seem much more radicalized than those who are experiencing the situation up close. He recalls: “There are Palestinians in Israel. There are Jews in the West Bank. Some are neighbours, sometimes even friends on both sides. So the solution is not as black and white as that, there are a lot more nuances at the heart of the problem.”

In this polarized political climate, Adrian believes “we are always looking for enemies.” He believes that each side is putting forward its truth. “The Jewish people and the Palestinians refer to different periods of history to claim their right to land, and in the end, there is no objective truth.” In his opinion, both peoples have a place in the Holy Land. He also criticizes the evacuation order issued by Israel to Gazans before bombing them: “Israel cannot ask the Palestinians to leave, they have nowhere to go, because they are at home!”

He concludes bitterly: “Everyone wants peace. However, history has shown us time and again that human life is not worth much. Innocent people die in wars fought by the powerful for power. People who want war have no interest in seeing peace happen. People who want peace don't have the means to live it.”

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“Never again”: Jew and against the genocide in Gaza

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Settled in a Montreal café, Corey Balsam, a Canadian Jew, discovers the announcement of a planned emergency demonstration October 17. Servers discuss the latest bombings in Gaza. Corey asks them for a cardboard box to make a pro-Palestinian sign, on which he writes: “Never again!” Jews against genocide.”

“I participated in the demonstration alongside thousands of others to express my rage, my anger at the Israeli government and the apartheid situation in general, but also at the governments of Canada and the United States, which seem to support Israel unconditionally,” explains Corey, national coordinator of Independent Jewish Voices Canada.

About the bombing of the Baptist Hospital in Gaza, Corey is not sure who is responsible. However, he remains skeptical of reports from the Israeli government. “I have no confidence in Israel's version in general. For example, about journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank. At first, they denied any involvement, accusing Palestinian fire, but in the end, the evidence clearly showed that it was Israeli fire. Then they called it an accident,” he said. He doubts that armed groups in Gaza could cause such a deadly explosion. The survival conditions of Gazans are troubling him. “Thousands of people have no food, no water, no access to medical care. Gazans drink dirty water or sea water. What is the Canadian government waiting for to act? ”

But the most painful thing was the reaction of his community: “It saddens me to see a significant number of Jews supporting the Israeli revenge plan. They refuse to ask for a ceasefire under the pretext that Israel has the right to defend itself,” he said in one breath.

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Corey Balsam, now a dad, is also the grandson of a Holocaust survivor. “As a Jew, when we say, 'Never again, 'that should apply to everyone. “Never again” means “Never again genocide.” It is horrible to see that Jews are involved in a genocide when we ourselves have suffered one.”

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“You can be a proud Jew without supporting Israel”

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“I grew up hearing my grandfather's story, which led me to develop a strong connection to Israel, a country that stood up for us. I also attended a Jewish summer camp where Zionism was strongly encouraged,” explains Corey.

Now in his thirties, he declares himself an “anti-Zionist”. Achieving this ideological identity has been a long and complex journey. “It was when I started reading about colonial systems, settler colonialism, occupation, and apartheid that I started to see things from a new perspective. It was very difficult and uncomfortable. I had to question everything I knew, everyone I knew.”

Exiting Zionism has been difficult. Meeting other anti-Zionist Jews helped him. “I didn't even know that this possibility existed, that you could be proudly Jewish without supporting Israel, without supporting a criminal state,” he said.

It is this need for another community that gave birth to the voice of independent Jews. “Within our organization, there are people who are culturally Zionist, just as there are some who are not, but one thing is certain: Palestinians deserve better. We cannot support a government that is committing crimes on our behalf.”

In the mid-2000s, Corey went to the West Bank to live there and to experience the reality of Palestinians up close: “I stayed there for almost four years. I have been around Palestinians every day and have been warmly welcomed as a Jew. Palestinians are benevolent and non-violent people, a far cry from the stereotypical representation we have of them in the West.”

“To systematically accuse those who denounce their plight of antisemitism is ridiculous. Supporting Palestinian rights and calling for the boycott of companies that fund the war against them has nothing to do with antisemitism. It is not by discriminating against the supporters of peace in Palestine and by calling them pro-terrorists that we will not be able to make progress,” he concludes.

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“No military solution can bring peace”

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These interviews with Adrian and Corey were conducted from October 12 to 18, 2023. At the time of writing, communications with Gaza are cut off, and the bombardments are not weakening. It is November 1. In light of this new reality, we called Corey and Adrian back to find out what they thought about the new developments in the situation.

Adrian, obviously concerned, tells us the following: “No sane person can want the loss of innocent lives. In no way can I subscribe to the actions being taken by the Israel Defense Forces at this time.” Then, with sincerity, he adds this: “I want the safety of the Jewish people, especially in the context of the rise of antisemitism in the world. I hope that the State of Israel can find its place in the Middle East. My heart is longing for the end of this war, and I am praying for peace.”

As for Corey Balsam, he is mobilizing, taking part in demonstrations, vigils, sit-ins, sending letters to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and adopting other forms of civic engagement, doing everything he can to get a simple message heard: the call for a ceasefire in Gaza. “It's a real shame! Both as a Jew, because Israel is acting on my behalf in carrying out these crimes, and as a Canadian, because our government is not taking a stand for a ceasefire. It is undeniable that no military solution can bring peace. We are witnessing a genocide.”

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*This person's name has been changed to protect their anonymity.

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