photo essay by Antoine Rouleau

Photo: Antoine Rouleau. Colors of Palestine at Bil’in solidarity protest in Montreal.

A photo essay by photographer Antoine Rouleau capturing the Bil’in solidarity protest outside the Palais de justice de Montréal to coincide with the opening the lawsuit launched by Bil’in village at the Quebec Superior Court against two Montreal registered companies constructing Israeli colonies on Bil’in lands. A decision on the jurisdiction of the Quebec courts to hear Bil’in’s case is expected within the upcoming months, stay tuned for updates and other Palestinian solidarity actions.

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Bil’in village continues battle against Israeli settlements in Quebec courts

Photo: Valerian Mazataud. Mohamed Khatib from Bil’in, Palestine.

Bil’in village’s legal battle against two Quebec-based companies for constructing Israeli settlements on Palestinian land continues.

After a week of hearings at the Quebec Superior Court, Bil’in’s lawsuit is now being considered by Justice Louis-Paul Cullen. A response from the judge is expected in the upcoming months.

“Bil’in’s case was fully argued, the illegality of Israeli settlements under international and Canadian law was clearly outlined,” outlines Bil’in’s Canadian lawyer Mark Arnold.

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Montreal Gazette, June 25, 2009, by Sue Montgomery.

Photo: Valerian Mazataud. Palestinian Mohamed Khatib at the Quebec Superior Court.

MONTREAL — Two Canadian companies that are building condominiums for Israeli settlers in the West Bank are committing a war crime, a lawyer representing a tiny Palestinian farming village that is trying to sue the firms by using Canada’s War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity Act argued Thursday.

After three days of hearings in Quebec Superior Court on motions filed by lawyers of Green Park International Inc. and Green Mount International Inc. to have the suit thrown out, lawyer Mark Arnold argued the case should go to trial.

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Photo essay by Valerian Mazataud.

Photo: Valerian Mazataud. Bil’in vs. Israeli apartheid at Concordia University.

Bil’in village has been a focus for the Palestinian solidarity movement in Canada during the past month, as Mohamed Khatib from Bil’in’s Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements and Emily Schaeffer, an Israeli lawyer representing the village of Bil’in, have recently toured across Canada.

In Montreal hundreds have gathered in solidarity with Bil’in this past week, for a major lecture at Concordia University, the last stop on the cross-Canada tour and for a solidarity demonstration with Bil’in outside the Quebec Superior Court, both events are documented in this photo essay.

Bil’in’s historic lawsuit against Green Park International and Green Mount International, two companies registered in Quebec, began this week at the Quebec Superior Court. Bil’in’s lawsuit is rooted in the fact that the two companies are constructing illegal Israeli colonies on Bil’in’s lands in the West Bank.

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call for court solidarity surrounding the historic lawsuit launched by Bil’in village.

JUNE 2009: Montreal, Quebec
Tuesday, June 23, 9h30 – 16h00
Thursday, June 25, 9h30 – 16h00
Quebec superior court
room 16.08
1 Notre Dame east
métro Place-d’Armes/Champs-de-Mars

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Aljazeera, June 22nd, 2009.

Photo: ActiveStills. Israeli military launches tear-gas on Palestinian protester in Bil’in.

A Canadian court is to consider a lawsuit brought by Palestinians from the West Bank town of Bilin who say two Canadian firms have committed war crimes by assisting in construction of Israeli settlements.

Activists filed the suit against Green Mount International and Green Park International – two Canadian companies contracted to build in the settlement of Modiin Illit, in a Montreal court, where the companies are registered.

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Montreal Gazette, June 21, 2009, by Sue Montgomery.

Photo: Palestinians and the Israeli apartheid wall in the West Bank.

Members of a tiny Palestinian farming community will be in Quebec Superior Court tomorrow claiming two Canadian construction companies are committing war crimes by building condominiums and roads on the village’s land in the West Bank.

It will be the first time that Canada’s War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity Act, passed in 2000, will be used in a civil case.

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rally to open the Bil’in’s lawsuit in Quebec against Israeli settlements

MONDAY JUNE 22, 12noon
Quebec superior court
1 Notre Dame east
Montreal, Quebec
métro Place-d’Armes/Champs-de-Mars

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Deborah Guterman, Electronic Intifada, 11 June 2009.

Photo: Bilin: Palestinian with son in arms in front of Israeli soldier.

The small Palestinian village of Bilin will face-off this month against two Canadian corporations accused of aiding and abetting the colonization of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Bilin has charged Green Park International and Green Mount International with illegally constructing residential buildings and other settlement infrastructure on village territory, and marketing such structures to the civilian population of the State of Israel. The condominiums in question are located in a settlement neighborhood known as Matityahu East.

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Hour June 11th, 2009, by Stefan Christoff.

Photo: ActiveStills. Palestinians stand against Israeli apartheid wall.

While Israel’s right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to expand Israeli colonies in the West Bank, in a key speech in Cairo last week the Obama administration called Israeli settlements a violation of international law and an impediment to peace talks.

The heated international issue will become a local one this month when two Quebec companies involved in Israeli settlement construction on Palestinian lands will face a potential lawsuit in Quebec Superior Court.

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