Like the Middle East, Toronto’s ‘Little Gaza’ is separated by fence

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They have created their own little Gaza strip — a caliphate right in the heart of Canada itself. 

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To get into walled-in “Little Gaza,” an accepted entrant must present their credentials through an unofficial passport control border-point gate staffed by security, wearing Arab-style keffiyehs, which cover their faces and identities. 

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Despite its appearance, this is not in the Middle East.

The CN Tower in the skyline above the tent city offers the first clue. Then there are the main buildings of University of Toronto next to the park, and Queen’s Park just to the east — all reminders this is Toronto. 

But the sign on the fence actually says, “Little Gaza.” 

Guards stationed at the border point to get in, or out, may not be legitimate Hamas affiliates. With black-and-white checkered scarves wrapped around their heads and faces Yasir Arafat-style, they just look that way. 

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It’s surreal. If you didn’t know any better, you might think this is a movie set. 

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However, this is not a benign setting. It’s a hostile takeover and an illegal breach of one of Canada’s most prestigious grounds. They don’t hide who they hate. One sign with Palestinian flag colours says “from the river to the sea.”  

After the barbaric slaughter of what has now added up to more than 1,300 Jews on Oct. 7, no one doubts what that slogan means.  

It’s ugly, anti-Semitism on full display, which Jewish students or faculty should not have to face on their campus. The University of Toronto may have signs up saying no camping, but they don’t make the rules here.

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The pro-communist, anti-Israeli occupiers do. That said, people must follow the occupiers’ rules. Calling it a “liberated zone,” they decide who gets in. 

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And they have their own way of identifying who is permitted to be in their pop-up city. Look closely, and you will see people writing an identifier with sharpie pens on the arms of fellow travellers. 

Of course, thanks to the large fence that is erected around the main lawn of the downtown U of T campus at King’s College Circle, no one can get in this compound controlled by an unknown group who have no authority to do so. 

Toronto, after all, is a city that arrested and jailed a man, with the help of 100 police officers and police horses, from breaking into his own restaurant during the pandemic. But there are no rules here – except for the ones laid down by the occupiers. 

They are in charge – aided, ironically, by the blue fence that was initially erected to keep them out.

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And they have demands. 

Posters on campus ask U of T to “disclose all investments held in endowments, short-term working capital assets, and other financial holdings of the university.”

They are all also calling for U of T to “divest the university’s endowment, capital assets and other financial holdings from all direct and indirect investments that sustain Israeli apartheid occupation and illegal settlement of Palestine” and “terminate all partnerships with Israeli academic institutions.” 

They also have no plans to leave. In fact, they are recruiting and stocking up for the long haul. 

“Bring supplies and bodies to combat eviction,” said a poster which has a QR code to encourage donations. 

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“Every encampment is a commune,” said the poster. “Bring Bio-gel waste gelation, toilet paper, noise makers, lights, charged portable batteries, sleeping pads/bags” and “protection gears and wooden pallets and umbrellas in case of escalation.” 

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No bouncy castles or hot tubs so far, but if this was run by Freedom Convoy truckers, there would be talk about invoking of the Emergencies Act. 

Of course, that was not necessary in Ottawa in 2022, and mounted riot police and martial law are not needed here, either.  They just need to hand out trespass tickets, take down the tents and gently remove those who don’t follow orders to leave the property. Or, at least, charge them a camping fee. 

The university should also take down the fence that it set up. It was designed to keep people off the lawn and did not work.

It now works as a shield, buffer and bridge head for the people who took over the property. That advantage can be easily removed.

Students and faculty have as much right to walk or kick a soccer ball around on that lawn as the protesters who squat there. 

Removing the fence will also prevent those operating “Little Gaza” from having its own border crossing. 

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