Anti-Palestinian racism (APR) is finally starting to get the attention that it requires, and the study and understanding of Anti-Palestinian racism (APR) is growing rapidly, especially in Canada.  Below are some resources which should be of help to people - especially those in Canada - who want to learn more (and participate in the conversation) about APR.

Like with any other racialized community, the Palestinian diaspora community is diverse, and is represented by a collectivity of voices and associations.  The resources list below is the best attempt of the Anti-Racism Program to direct people to pertinent, practical and professional resources - provided by a diversity of people and groups - in the struggle against anti-Palestinian racism.  The resources are foremost focussed on a Canadian audience.

Definitions/descriptions of anti-Palestinian Racism

As with any field, there are divergent opinions on how to describe and define anti-Palestinian racism.  Below are some of the definitions, descriptions and summaries which we believe merit consideration:

Anti-Palestinian Racism: Naming, Framing and Manifestations.  Arab Canadian Lawyers Association.  This is one of the most rigorous and professionally presented descriptions of anti-Palestinian racism developed to date.

Anti-Palestinian Racism (Factsheet).  Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East.  This is a brief, summary presentation of the ACLA's defintion with some practical examples and explanations added.

Defining Anti-Palestinian Racism.  Understanding Anti-Palestinian Racism.  This is a definition with a collection of supporting examples and resources.

Significant articles/analyses of anti-Palestinian racism

Anti-Palestinian Racism in Canada: 2022 Report.  Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East.  A report highlighting the widespread problem of anti-Palestinian racism (APR) in Canadian society, exposing more than 500 examples of this form of racism in online written content in 2022. 

Anti-Palestinian Racism: Analyzing the Unnamed and Suppressed Reality.  Project on Middle East Political Science.  A broad but brief analysis of Israel/Palestine in relation to race, racism, and anti-racism.

APR and Islamophobia: 

How Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism are manufactured through disinformation, The Conversation - Jasmine Zine.  An overview of how media outlets and co-ordinated networks, Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian tropes and conspiracies are circulated. 

It’s not Islamophobia, it’s anti-Palestinian racism,  Vox - Abdallah Fayyad highlights anti-Palestinian racism as a distinct form of discrimination that is often overlooked, particularly in discussions about antisemitism and Islamophobia. It argues that anti-Palestinian racism specifically targets Palestinian identity, culture, and political advocacy, and should not be conflated with Islamophobia, which focuses on religious beliefs. While the two forms of discrimination share some roots and can overlap, treating anti-Palestinian racism as Islamophobia erases Palestinian identity and allows for continued suppression of Palestinian voices and rights​.

The Canadian Islamophobia Industry,  In this book, Jasmine Zine explores how Islamophobia operates as a systemic form of oppression in Canada, driven by an organized industry of media, political figures, and ideologues. It maps how Islamophobia is propagated through networks of far-right groups, pro-Israel interests, and influencers. The document highlights how anti-Palestinian racism is linked to Islamophobia, particularly through shared narratives that depict Palestinians as threats, thereby racializing and dehumanizing them. This connection allows anti-Palestinian racism to be embedded in wider Islamophobic discourses, reinforcing both forms of discrimination in Canada​.

APR and Freedom of expression: 

Report: Unveiling the Chilly Climate – The Suppression of Speech on Palestine in Canada, The reports by Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) documents the widespread suppression of pro-Palestinian speech, activism, and scholarship in Canada, particularly within academic institutions. The document highlights how pro-Palestinian academics and activists face reprisals, harassment, and intimidation, often accused of antisemitism or supporting terrorism. This climate of suppression is linked to the weaponization of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which conflates legitimate criticism of Israel with antisemitism. The report also underscores how anti-Palestinian racism overlaps with Islamophobia, as both forms of discrimination are used to silence advocacy for Palestinian human rights​.

Cops crashed my talk on Palestine (and proved my point about colonialism),  The Breach - Muhannad Ayyash.  This article illustrates how anti-Palestinian racism permeates Canadian academic institutions, using the author's experience of police being called to his lecture on the Palestinian struggle for liberation as a case study. This incident is reflective of a broader trend in Canada where pro-Palestinian speech is marginalized, suppressed, or treated as a security threat. The document highlights how institutions like York University have a history of silencing Palestine solidarity activism, which undermines freedom of expression and academic freedom, linking these actions to a colonial and racist framework that marginalizes both Palestinians and those advocating for their rights​. 

For Canadian universities, the Palestinian is the ‘toxic other’, Aljazeera - Muhannad Ayyash.  An overview of how the Canadian academic environment fails to address the underlying drivers of anti-Palestinian and other forms of racism.

A List Of Some People In Canada Fired For Pro-Palestine Views, The Maple -Davide Mastracci documents and analyzes the increasing number of people in Canada being fired, suspended, or investigated for expressing pro-Palestinian views, particularly in the wake of the October 2023 events. It reflects the pervasive anti-Palestinian racism in Canadian institutions by illustrating how individuals, including journalists, teachers, and public servants, are being censured for speaking in favor of Palestinian rights. The document shows how this censorship affects freedom of expression and academic freedom, contributing to a broader chilling effect on pro-Palestinian activism and discourse​.

Surveilled & Silenced: A Report on Palestine Solidarity at York University, York-REC Subcommitte. This report documents and analyze the silencing and surveillance of pro-Palestinian activism at York University, highlighting how the administration's actions have created a hostile environment for students, faculty, and staff who support Palestinian rights. The report underscores the use of "community safety" rhetoric to justify repression, alongside increased policing and punitive measures, which severely restrict freedom of expression and academic freedom. The document reflects anti-Palestinian racism by showing how critiques of Israel are often conflated with antisemitism, leading to discrimination against Palestinians and their allies, while also linking this repression to Islamophobia​.

Free expression and Canadian perceptions of Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism, antisemitism, and the war in Israel/Palestine,  This talk is about the impact of anti-Palestinian racism, Islamophobia, and antisemitism on freedom of expression and academic freedom in Canada, particularly in support of Palestinian human rights, as well as the intersectionality of these issues. 

Silencing Palestine in the Education System, Just Peace Advocates. This report explores how the Canadian education system silences Palestinian perspectives and promotes anti-Palestinian racism. It discusses how education is used to uphold the narrative of the colonizer while marginalizing the Palestinian experience. The document reflects on how this systemic silencing occurs through policies such as the adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which conflates criticism of Israel with antisemitism, thereby suppressing pro-Palestinian speech, academic freedom, and activism within Canadian schools​.

“It’s like we’re not even allowed to be Palestinian” Anti-Palestinian racism in schools, Muna Saleh and Nada Awwad explore how Palestinian students in Canada experience systemic anti-Palestinian racism in educational institutions, often being silenced, marginalized, and denied the right to express their identity and history. The document reflects how this racism intersects with other forms of discrimination, such as Islamophobia, and details the widespread repression of pro-Palestinian perspectives, particularly in classrooms. This discrimination against Palestinians and their advocates severely limits freedom of expression and academic freedom, as discussing Palestine is often censored or met with punitive measures​.

Ontario government screened law students who signed pro-Palestine letter, The Breach - Kunal Chaudhary. This article highlights how the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General screened law students for signing a pro-Palestinian letter, which was part of a broader crackdown on Palestine solidarity in Canada. This action reflects the institutionalization of anti-Palestinian racism in the public sector, where individuals who express support for Palestinian rights face discrimination, surveillance, and harassment. The document emphasizes how such measures restrict freedom of expression and academic freedom for pro-Palestinian students and professionals in Canada​.

Universities, police spread ‘jaw-dropping’ misinformation about encampments,  The Breach - Brishti Basu, Savanna Craig & Athina Khalid. This article reveals how universities and police in Canada have spread misinformation and engaged in violent crackdowns on pro-Palestinian student encampments, using unfounded claims to justify repressive actions. It reflects anti-Palestinian racism by showing how these institutions defame protesters, falsely accusing them of violence and hate speech, which undermines their legitimate demands for Palestinian rights. This pattern of misinformation and police repression directly targets freedom of expression and academic freedom, further marginalizing Palestinian voices in Canada.

Policing and Surveillance: 

Inside the ‘shocking’ police operation targeting pro-Palestine activists in Toronto, The Breach - Martin Lukacs. This article reveals how the Toronto police, through "Project Resolute," have targeted pro-Palestinian activists with extreme surveillance, night raids, and trumped-up charges. This police operation reflects anti-Palestinian racism by criminalizing peaceful demonstrations and suppressing solidarity movements through tactics reminiscent of political policing. The document highlights how this policing undermines the right to free speech and protest, specifically targeting Palestinian voices and allies in Canada​.

Secretive committee in Ontario ministry pushed crackdown on pro-Palestine activism, The Breach - Martin Lukacs. This article exposes how a secretive committee within the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, marked by pro-Israel bias, has pushed for harsher charges against pro-Palestinian activists and interfered in legal cases to suppress Palestinian solidarity movements. This reflects anti-Palestinian racism by leveraging the legal system to police, discipline, and surveil pro-Palestinian activism. The committee's close collaboration with Toronto police and its efforts to label pro-Palestinian advocacy as hate crimes demonstrate the systemic suppression of free speech and protest in support of Palestinian rights.

In stunning pre-dawn raids, Toronto police ‘terrorize’ Palestine activists, The Breach - Martin Lukacs. The article describes how Toronto police conducted pre-dawn raids on the homes of pro-Palestinian activists, arresting them for participating in non-violent protests against Indigo CEO Heather Reisman’s support for the Israeli military. The document reflects anti-Palestinian racism by showing how these extreme policing tactics, normally reserved for dangerous criminals, were used to intimidate and discipline peaceful activists. This operation highlights the systemic surveillance and repression of Palestinians and their allies in Canada, severely undermining their rights to protest and freedom of expression​.

Media and Advocacy groups:

CBC has whitewashed Israel’s crimes in Gaza. I saw it firsthand, The Breach - Molly Schumann. The article shows how CBC, Canada's public broadcaster, has consistently whitewashed Israel’s actions in Gaza by downplaying Palestinian voices, canceling interviews with Palestinian guests, and avoiding critical language when discussing Israeli military actions. This reflects anti-Palestinian racism in the Canadian media by reinforcing double standards that privilege Israeli perspectives while marginalizing Palestinians and their allies. The document highlights how this bias in media coverage contributes to the broader societal suppression of pro-Palestinian narratives, undermining freedom of expression and promoting discrimination​.

Media Lies About October 7 Helped Create Support For Genocide, The Maple - Davide Mastracci. This article highlights how Canadian media outlets helped spread false narratives, such as the beheading of babies by Hamas, after October 7, 2023, which fueled support for Israel's actions in Gaza. The document reflects anti-Palestinian racism by showing how media outlets amplified unverified and sensationalist claims, contributing to a dehumanizing portrayal of Palestinians and justifying violent retaliation. This biased reporting promotes discrimination against Palestinians and pro-Palestinian voices, reinforcing a media landscape that suppresses accurate coverage of their experiences​.

Student camps for Gaza faced negative bias in The Globe and Mail, study shows, The Breach - Katia Lo Innes. This article reveals how media bias, particularly in The Globe and Mail, has negatively portrayed pro-Palestinian student encampments across Canada, labeling them as “violent,” “hateful,” and “unsafe,” while downplaying or justifying police violence against protesters. This media coverage reflects anti-Palestinian racism by framing peaceful protests in a threatening light and amplifying university and police narratives that undermine the legitimacy of the protesters' demands. The study shows how the media plays a role in promoting and reinforcing discrimination against Palestinians and their allies in Canada​.

Palestinian deaths count for less in Canada’s newspapers. Data proves it, The Breach - Martin Lukacs, Katia Lo Innes & Ben Cuthbert. This article presents data showing that Canadian newspapers disproportionately focus on Israeli deaths while downplaying and dehumanizing the deaths of Palestinians. It reflects anti-Palestinian racism by demonstrating how the media assigns less emotional weight and fewer humanizing details to Palestinian deaths, sanitizing the violence they experience. This media bias promotes anti-Palestinian racism by framing Israeli deaths as more significant and obscuring the scale of Palestinian suffering, contributing to a skewed public perception​.

APR self-reporting tools in Canada:

The following list is not meant to be exhaustive, but is meant to provide a selection of the sites where victims of APR can report their experience(s).

1. Self-report racism, Arab Canadian Lawyers Association (ACLA)  
"Have you experienced anti-Arab or anti-Palestinian racism?  Share your experience with us by completing this short form."  Note: This page collects reports of both anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian racism.

2. Report Anti-Palestinian Racism in Canadian Public Schools,  Palestinian Canadian Congress (PCC) 
"Have you experienced or witnessed (you or your child) anti-Palestinian racism in Canadian public schools? Please, share your experience with us. This form is prepared by the Palestinian Canadian Congress and is promoted in local regions by collaborating with various local community groups. "  Note: This tool is focussed on anti-Palestinian racism in Canadian schools, K-12.

3. Report an incident; what you see matters!,  Legal Centre for Palestine (LCP) 
"The purpose of this reporting tool is to help us document and triage incidents of anti-Palestinian racism in Canada, including harassment, censorship, and punishment. After receiving your incident report, our intake team will refer you to a lawyer from our roster based on the urgency of your case."  

4. Self-reporting tool, Coalition of Canadian-Palestinian Organizations (CCPO)
"Whether online or in the real world, we track incidents of hate to measure and combat Anti-Palestinian / Anti-Arab or Islamophobic crimes in Canada."  Note: This page collects reports of Islamophobia, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism.

5. Incident report, National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM)
"If you believe you have been the victim or witness of discrimination, harassment, or a hate crime, please fill out and submit an Incident Report Form with as much detail as possible." Note: Although this page is listed on the NCCM Palestine Portal as "Incident Report," it seems to link to the general NCCM page for the reporting of Islamophobic incidents.

Legal resources for pro-Palestinians in Canada:

Arab Canadian Lawyers Association - https://www.canarablaw.org/support

Legal Centre for Palestine - https://www.lcpal.ca/