“The Canadians in Hamas” is a racist and criminalizing narrative disguised as journalism, as is with most of Global News’ publishing. Global News has only escalated their genocide denialism over the last two years and their latest report is yet another addition to their imperialist portfolio.
Al-Ahrar Palestinian Prisoner Support denounces right-wing Canadian media outlet Global News and their recent report “The Canadians in Hamas” that does nothing more than manufacture consent for an intensified War on Terror against Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, and those in solidarity with anti-imperialist struggle. We caution those who engage with the piece against using a politic of innocence and distancing themselves from the anti-colonial revolutionaries we should be uplifting.
Zionist media claims, whether or not they are true, must not deter us from our unwavering commitment and solidarity with the Resistance that are liberating their prisoners from Zionist dungeons and securing material advances in their national liberation project.
Debunking the article
“The Canadians in Hamas” claims that there are approximately “450 people with assorted roles in Hamas” that have “ties to Canada” while only citing one unnamed intelligence source to back these claims. These kinds of poor journalistic practices and ethics must be identified for what they truly serve as: imperialist propaganda. Baseless articles like these manufacture consent for increased surveillance, discrimination, and fear. Moreover, Global News’ reliance on Zionist “experts” like CEO Noah Shack of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and Matthew Levitt of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy to support their argument is a classic example of how Western news media is used to further Zionist goals.
Rather than questioning if these alleged 450 Canadians do actually have affiliations with Hamas, which is what Global News’ piece prompts readers to fear, we should be questioning why Global News is doxxing and fabricating racist narratives about Arab men. The question of whether any of the supposed 450 people have affiliations with Hamas is not relevant because this is an imperialist, white supremacist political action taken by Global News against Arabs and Muslims. Who these people are or where their political affiliations lie are secondary to the act that Global News has committed because they are experiencing racist criminalization and surveillance no matter their support for or affiliation with Hamas.
CSIS is racist
CSIS confirmed to Global News that they are “investigating Canadians in Middle East terror groups”— but this is nothing new. The Canadian intelligence agency has been criminalizing and surveilling Arabs and Muslims across Canada for decades for alleged “terrorism”. This criminalization and surveillance has resulted in international condemnation of major atrocities such as that of the torture of Maher Arar, Abdullah Almalki, Ahmad El-Maati, and Muayyed Nureddin that Canada played a significant role in facilitating. CSIS’ ongoing investigations are but a continuation of their War on Terror and they are using our current political moment post-Al-Aqsa Flood to intensify their efforts.
A helpful guide to the intelligence agency’s history by Spring Magazine illustrates how CSIS certainly may be escalating their efforts but their strategies of repression are certainly not new, nor are they operating in a vacuum:
“Almost immediately following 9/11 CSIS ramped up its sustained and mass spying and harassment program on the Muslim community in Canada. CSIS routinely showed up to mosques, recorded the names of people in attendance, showed up to people’s houses and schools, and threatened to show up at people’s workplaces. CSIS routinely hacked phones, emails and social media of Muslim community members. They targeted religious leaders in the community, and in particular targeted Muslim community members who engaged in political activism–creating a chilling effect on political expression.”
CSIS will use any excuse they have to criminalize and surveil people across this so-called country. Their efforts to do so are part and parcel of the Canadian settler-colonial project that, too, has a vested interest in the survival of the Zionist entity. The Palestine solidarity movement’s struggle against Zionism is a direct threat to these state interests, whether it be because of capital investments in arms deals or because of the need to maintain the illusion of settler-colonial stability within Canadian borders.
CSIS harassing refugees
In May of 2022, according to Global News’ reporting, Canadian policing agents began investigating a young Syrian refugee living in Winnipeg because of his alleged association with Hamas— something the young man was entirely unaware of until recently. This 25 year-old man and others who may experience criminalization from this investigation are coerced into publicly condemning Hamas to maintain safety and in the case of this refugee, potentially his safety and stay in Canada as CSIS has since suspended his citizenship application. Clandestine investigation is extremely common when under political surveillance as the state will only act during the most opportune moment for them. Because of the mass consensus reached amongst Canadians in conceding to criminalizing so-called “terrorists”, that moment is now.
Global News harassing Charlotte Kates
In November of 2024, Global News harassed and doxxed International Coordinator of Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network Charlotte Kates in her Vancouver home, actually entering her house through the front door to do so. Kates unabashedly has relationships with members of Hamas, such as Basem Naim whom she has interviewed, and other members of various organizations within the Axis of Resistance. Kates is someone who has very publicly associated herself with Hamas and their leadership in solidarity with their anti-colonial struggle. Palestinian writer and activist Khaled Barakat who was previously living in Canada also has strong relationships with Resistance members and leaders. Our movements cannot concede to the politics of fear of association or organizers and organizations like Kates, Barakat, and Samidoun will be pushed to the margins. Instead, we must build a culture of solidarity so we can continue our political project of uplifting and building relationships with the Resistance and fortify the international popular cradle of resistance to Zionism and imperialism.
Resisting racist notions of “terrorism” and “crime”
The importance of rejecting state notions of “terrorism” and “crime” could not be clearer: without doing so and instead using a politic of innocence it sanctions the criminalization of others and will continue expanding outward to all who oppose injustice as we veer into brazen fascism in the Western world.
The mere publication of Global News’ reporting using a vague and unoriginal quote from CSIS is a fearmongering tactic to repress the Palestine solidarity movement. The intention behind it is to coerce Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, and internationalists into censoring themselves and removing themselves from the Palestine solidarity movement. Moreover, Global News’ publication seeks to eliminate any solidarity with Hamas and the rest of the united Palestinian Resistance factions.
The state has manufactured consent for surveillance and criminalization so long as it is wielded against certain kinds of people, this meaning so-called “terrorists” which Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims alike have all been casted as. If the Palestine solidarity movement uses a politic of innocence to criticize pieces like “The Canadians in Hamas”, criminalization becomes consented to so long as the target fits the bill. With the 450 Canadians with alleged ties to Hamas, unconditional solidarity should be expressed whether or not they are truly affiliated with the faction. It is not enough to cry out that they are all innocent.
Global News’ racist and imperialist propaganda “The Canadians in Hamas” will not deter us from championing the Palestinian Resistance and their heroic struggle for liberation. We will not bow down to criminalization or surveillance. CSIS’ threats only strengthen our resolve and we will remain steadfast in the face of state repression.
Long Live the Palestinian Revolution!
Down with Zionism!
Free, Free Palestine!
