A Scarborough Campus Student Union-sponsored Gaza Coalition at UTSC plans on selling 300 keffiyehs to fundraise for victims of the recent conflict between Hamas and the Israeli government.
The coalition was created on Jan. 9 after the SCSU formed the Taskforce on the Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza. The union passed a motion condemning the Israeli Defense Forces’ “attacks on academic institutions and […] innocent civilians.” SCSU president Zuhair Syed has issued an official statement.
During their second public meeting on Thursday, led by Syed, students from groups like the Women’s Centre, Muslim Students’ Association, and UTSC’s NDP club discussed further plans for raising awareness, contacting local politicians, and contributing to humanitarian aid with the Red Cross.
So far more than 350 people have joined Facebook group UTSC Gaza Coalition for Justice and Peace. While most of the two dozen student groups declaring support have political, ethnic, or religious affiliations, there is also representation from sports, photography, and humanitarian clubs from the campus.
At a “fax-off” event last week organized by the coalition’s awareness committee, students added personal messages and signatures to a typed letter to be faxed to the Ontario government. However, the content of the letter was changed when concern expressed over the words “war crimes” and “assaults” was used to describe the Israeli bombing campaign on Gaza. Some objected that the words made the coalition appear partisan.
At another event with the UTSC branch of the Canadian Red Cross, the coalition’s fundraising committee raised $300 through “A Buck to Save Gaza.” The campaign aims to raise $10,000 for the charity Islamic Relief.
With such a large goal, several times throughout the Jan. 22 meeting members had to remind the group that its sole purpose was to focus on the victims of the conflict. However, many expressed support for Hamas and a desire to include politics as part of their outreach efforts.
“Can we tell students Israel is an illegal state and that what they did was illegal?” asked a student in attendance.
The group also plans on selling keffiyehs and keffiyeh-style ribbons this week as part of their fundraising efforts. The scarf has recently become ubiquitous as a fashion accessory, but in the two decades prior was seen a symbol of support and solidarity with Palestine against Israel.
The UTSC Gaza Coalition is set to meet again on Jan. 30 at 2 to 4 p.m. The location has yet to be announced.
With files from Dylan Robertson
