CANADA | INTERNATIONAL — As governments, universities, and law enforcement agencies move to restrict or condemn the chant “Globalize the Intifada” because of its association with violence against Jews, a new term has begun appearing with growing frequency at pro-Palestinian demonstrations and on social media: Muqawama.
The Arabic word Muqawama translates to “resistance.” While often presented by activists as a benign or abstract concept, security analysts and Middle East experts note that the term carries a specific and troubling context. It forms a core part of the official name of Hamas, the Islamist terrorist organization designated as such by Canada, the United States, the European Union, and Israel. Hamas’s full Arabic name is Harakat al Muqawamah al Islamiya, meaning Islamic Resistance Movement.
The shift in language has raised alarms among Jewish organizations and counter-extremism specialists, who say the rebranding is designed to evade scrutiny rather than reflect a change in intent.
“This is not a semantic coincidence,” said a Canadian security analyst who monitors extremist rhetoric. “When protesters substitute ‘Globalize the Intifada’ with ‘Muqawama,’ they are not moving away from violence. They are adopting the ideological language of Hamas itself.”
The term “Globalize the Intifada” has increasingly been recognized by governments and institutions as a call to spread the tactics of Palestinian uprisings, which historically included suicide bombings, shootings, stabbings, and attacks on civilians. In recent months, the chant has been linked to antisemitic harassment, threats, and violence in cities across North America and Europe.
As a result, some public bodies and universities have begun restricting its use, citing safety concerns and its implicit endorsement of violence. In response, activists have turned to Arabic slogans that are less immediately understood by the general public but resonate clearly within extremist ideological frameworks.
Experts note that Muqawama is not merely a generic word for protest in the context in which it is being used. In Hamas doctrine, resistance explicitly includes armed struggle and attacks against Israeli civilians. Hamas’s own charter and public statements consistently frame Muqawama as violent jihad, not civil disobedience.
“Hamas does not define resistance as peaceful,” said a Middle East scholar familiar with the group’s ideology. “When activists adopt its language, they are normalizing the worldview of a terrorist organization, whether they admit it or not.”
Jewish advocacy groups argue that this linguistic shift has direct consequences for Jewish communities in the diaspora. They point out that slogans tied to Hamas ideology often appear alongside intimidation of Jewish students, vandalism of synagogues, and threats against Jewish institutions.
“What we are seeing is rhetorical laundering,” said a spokesperson for a Canadian Jewish organization. “The words change, but the targets do not. Jews remain the ones being singled out, harassed, and made to feel unsafe.”
The concern has intensified following recent violent antisemitic attacks abroad, including the mass casualty attack in Sydney, Australia. Jewish leaders warn that history shows how ideological language that glorifies violence can migrate from chants and slogans into real-world action.
Law enforcement agencies have increasingly emphasized that context matters when assessing public speech. While freedom of expression is protected in democratic societies, authorities have also recognized that coded language can function as a rallying cry for extremist movements.
“This is not about banning Arabic words,” said a former counterterrorism official. “It is about understanding how specific terms are weaponized within ideological ecosystems tied to violence.”
In Israel, officials have long documented Hamas’s strategic use of language to obscure intent, particularly in Western discourse. Analysts say the adoption of Muqawama by activists abroad mirrors this tactic, allowing organizers to claim plausible deniability while signaling alignment with militant ideology.
Canadian policymakers face growing pressure to address the issue with clarity. Jewish organizations are calling for consistent standards that evaluate slogans based on meaning and intent, not merely their surface translation.
“Replacing one phrase with another does not absolve responsibility,” said one community leader. “If the ideology remains the same, the danger remains the same.”
As debates continue across campuses and city councils, experts stress that confronting antisemitism requires understanding how language evolves to evade accountability. Recognizing coded rhetoric is essential to preventing further radicalization and protecting vulnerable communities.
To avoid the ban on “Globalise the Intifada” pro-Pals have started using ‘Muqawama’ which means resistance in Arabic. It forms part of the name of Hamas “Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiya”. Clever little extremists. pic.twitter.com/9HGD3681Pw
— Heidi Bachram 🎗️ (@HeidiBachram) December 18, 2025
What a shameful article. Linking peaceful protest to terrorism is actually harmful as it can lead people to attack protestors.Palestine resistance really gets to you doesn’t it?
Two years ago I was convinced by the propaganda. But like Baldwin said “I can’t believe what you say because I see what you do.” You turned a bunch of ignorant westerners into Palestinian history students. The world now sees the decades of oppression and cruelty of the genocidal state. Occupied territories are legally allowed to resist their oppressors.
Their own actions have broken the hasbara machine. I was hugely Islamaphobic for about four decades, but the all encompassing violence I’ve witnessed from “Isnotreal” made me look closer, to do my own research. I have met genuine kindness and generosity from the Muslim community, widespread and sustained, sincere kindness, that cannot be faked. Whereas my engagements with Zionists tend to quickly devolve into some very angry, hateful and racist vitriol. Strange that the actions of “Isn’treal” did what Muslims couldn’t do alone, dispel my ignorance.
Agreed, Judy. They keep pulling my comments off the page, apparently resisting hasbara gets them all oppressy too.
No one pulled any of your comments Kevin.
Two years ago I was convinced by the propaganda. But like Baldwin said “I can’t believe what you say because I see what you do.” You turned a bunch of ignorant westerners into Palestinian history students. The world now sees the decades of oppression and cruelty of the genocidal state. Occupied territories are legally allowed to resist their oppressors.