Jewish Canadians Concerned About Suppression of Criticism of Israel

Related Topics in the Sources Directory

of Experts and Spokespersons:

Related Resources:

More than 170 Jewish Canadians have signed a statement expressing their concerns about the campaign to suppress criticism of Israel that is being carried on within Canada. The signatories include many prominent Canadians, including Ursula Franklin O.C., Anton Kuerti O.C., Naomi Klein, Dr. Gabor Mate, and professors Meyer Brownstone (recipient of Pearson Peace Medal), Natalie Zemon Davis (former president of the American Historical Association), and Judy Rebick.The signatories are particularly concerned that unfounded accusations of anti-Semitism deflect attention from Israel's accountability for what many have called war crimes in Gaza. They state that B'nai Brith and the Canadian Jewish Congress have led campaigns to silence criticism of Israel on university campuses, in labour unions and in other groups. Immigration Minister Jason Kenney and Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff unquestioningly echo the views of these particular Jewish organizations.The signatories strongly state that they are against all expressions of racism. While firmly committed to resisting any form of prejudice against Jewish people, their statement explicitly states that these spurious allegations of anti-Semitism bring the anti-Communist terror of the 1950s vividly to mind. The statement underlines the immeasurable suffering and injustice to the Palestinian people due to the severe poverty, daily humiliations, and military invasions inflicted by the State of Israel.We are Jewish Canadians concerned about all expressions of racism, anti-Semitism, and social injustice. We believe that the Holocaust legacy "Never again" means never again for all peoples. It is a tragic turn of history that the State of Israel, with its ideals of democracy and its dream of being a safe haven for Jewish people, causes immeasurable suffering and injustice to the Palestinian people.We are appalled by recent attempts of prominent Jewish organizations and leading Canadian politicians to silence protest against the State of Israel. We are alarmed by the escalation of fear tactics. Charges that those organizing Israel Apartheid Week or supporting an academic boycott of Israel are anti-Semites promoting hatred bring the anti-Communist terror of the 1950s vividly to mind. We believe this serves to deflect attention from Israel's flagrant violations of international humanitarian law.B'nai Brith and the Canadian Jewish Congress have pressured university presidents and administrations to silence debate and discussion specifically regarding Palestine/Israel. In a full-page ad in a national newspaper, B'nai Brith urged donors to withhold funds from universities because "anti-Semitic hate fests" were being allowed on campuses. Immigration Minister Jason Kenney and Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff have echoed these arguments. While university administrators have resisted demands to shut down Israel Apartheid week, some Ontario university presidents have bowed to this disinformation campaign by suspending and fining students, confiscating posters, and infringing on free speech.We do not believe that Israel acts in self-defense. Israel is the largest recipient of US foreign aid, receiving $3 million/day. It has the fourth strongest army in the world. Before the invasion of Gaza on 27 December 2008, Israel's siege had already created a humanitarian catastrophe there, with severe impoverishment, malnutrition, and destroyed infrastructure. It is crucial that forums for discussion of Israel's accountability to the international community for what many have called war crimes be allowed to proceed unrestricted by specious claims of anti-Semitism.We recognize that anti-Semitism is a reality in Canada as elsewhere, and we are fully committed to resisting any act of hatred against Jews. At the same time, we condemn false charges of anti-Semitism against student organizations, unions, and other groups and people exercising their democratic right to freedom of speech and association regarding legitimate criticism of the State of Israel.Zalman AmitAbigail BakanAdam BalsamSharon BaltmanJulia BarnettLainie BasmanRachel BergerJody BerlandSam BlattGeri BlinickAnita BlockElizabeth BlockSheila BlockHannah BriembergMark BrillStephen BrotMeyer BrownstoneEliza BurroughsSmadar CarmonGyda ChudCharles P. CohenNathalie CohenDavid CopelandNatalie Zemon DavisEliza DeutschJames DeutschJudith DeutschTara DouglasAbbe EdelsonJack EtkinElle FlandersDanielle FrankUrsula FranklinDan Freeman-MaloyMiriam GarfinkleAlisa GayleJack GegenbergMark GoldenBrenda GoldsteinSue GoldsteinCy GonickMarnina GonickMark GoodmanRachel GotthilfAmy GottleibKevin A. GouldDaina GreenLisa Frances GreenspoonRicardo GrinspunCathy GulkinRachel GurofskyDeboran GutermanYesse GutmanFreda GuttmanJudy HaivenLarry HaivenMichael Hanna-FeinJean HansonJan HeynenMaria HeynenAdam HofmannJake JavanshirJeannie KaminsMarylin KaneeHoward S. KaplanMaggie KaplanIlan KapoorGilda KatzMaxine Kaufman-LacustaMira KhazzamBonnie Sher KleinMark KleinMartin KleinNaomi KleinJoshua Katz-RoseneRyan Katz-RoseneJudy KochAnton KuertiJason KuninAaron LakoffMichael LambekNatalie LaRocheRichard Borshay LeeAndy LehrerLynda LembergGabriel LevinGabriel LevineJoel LexchinKim LinekinAbby LippmanLee LorchMartin LukacsAudrey MacklinElise MaltinRichard MarcuseWayne MarkGabor MateArthur MilnerAnna MiranskyDorit NaamanJoanne NaimanNeil NaimanMichael NeumannDavid-Marc NewmanDavid NobleClare O'ConnorRobin OstowAndre W. PayantJenny PetoSimone PowellChanda Prescod-WeinsteinFabienne PresenteyYacov RabkinDiana RalphNaomi RankinJudy RebickEster ReiterJillian RoginRichard RomanJoseph RosenSolomon RosenbaumCarl RosenbergHerman RosenfeldMark RosenfeldMartha RothMarty RothRuben RothE. Natalie RothmanB. SackBen SaiferMiriam SampaioJacob ScheirFred SchloessingerAlan SearsShlomit SegalEdward H. ShafferNoa ShaindlingerRay ShankmanEva SharellElliot ShekKaren ShenfeldEllen ShifrinIrit ShimratSid ShniadMax SilvermanSamuel SingerElizabeth SollowayGeorge SorgerSusan StarkmanGreg StarrJonathan SterneJeremy StolowRhonda SussmanVera SzokeJoe TannenbaumHoward TesslerIsh TheilheimerMarion Traub-WernerCeyda TuranSandra TychsenCheryl WagnerJon McPhedran WaitzerDavid WallNaomi Binder WallKathy WazanaKaren WeisbergBarry WeislederPaul WeinbergJudith WeismanSuzanne WeissDon WeitzAbraham WeizfeldErnie YacubB.H. YaelRony YaronAnna ZalikYedida ZalikMelvin ZimmermanJames Deutsch, M.D., Ph.D.Judith Deutsch, M.S.W., R.S.W.