Only days after the Canadian Arab Federation (CAF) criticized the Canadian government for its one-sided support of Israel's violent incursion in Gaza, the Harper government cut off all federal English-as-a-second language (ESL) funding to CAF. Harper's spiteful move against CAF was not an isolated incident. George Galloway, the world-renowned anti-war orator and solidarity activist, was banned from speaking in Canada, while George Bush and Bill Clinton, noted war criminals, were permitted to earn huge fees to speak in Toronto and Calgary. At the same time, students and faculty at many Canadian campuses who have identified the policies and practices of the State of Israel as apartheid, are being targeted for harassment, surveillance, and intimidation.  (read more...)

Background:  IJAN Toronto members, working with other local Jewish activists in Toronto, put together and op-ed piece and collected 161 names of Jewish Canadians within a week, debunking the myth that criticism of the Israeli state is anti-Semitic, or that Israel acts out of self-defense. It also decries recent attacks on Israeli Apartheid week at several Canadian Universities. The statement, “Jewish Canadians Concerned About Suppression of Criticism of Israel.” speaks about the current climate as analogous to the Red Scare of the 1950s. Both the Toronto Star and the national Globe and Mail refused to publish it. The piece was then placed as an “advertisement” in one of the free weekly papers in Toronto, NOW Magazine. It is currently circulating on various lists and websites on the Internet, and may eventually be placed as an advertisement in either the Globe and Mail or the Ottawa Citizen, if more money can be raised. And names keep coming in.

 

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.

Click to read the original list of signatories.

 (read more...)

Given that the Canadian government:

• has failed to condemn Israel's clear violation of international law and war crimes in Gaza
• has intensified Canada's bilateral agreements with Israel, including policing and security, military, political, and economic links
• has continuously granted Israel unconditional support for its ongoing practice of collective punishment and ethnic cleansing,

We, the undersigned residents of Canada, urge the government of Canada to immediately undertake a change in its position regarding the Middle East and to initiate concrete action to hold Israel accountable for its ongoing violations of International Humanitarian Law.   

Brought to you by Women In Solidarity With Palestine (WSP)

And The International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, Toronto (IJAN-TO)

For more information: or

 (read more...)

A diverse group of Jewish Canadian women are currently occupying the Israeli consulate at 180 Bloor Street West in Toronto. This action is in protest against the on-going Israeli assault on the people of Gaza.

The group is carrying out this occupation in solidarity with the 1.5 million people of Gaza and to ensure that Jewish voices against the massacre in Gaza are being heard. They are demanding that Israel end its military assault and lift the 18-month siege on the Gaza Strip to allow humanitarian aid into the territory.

Israel has been carrying out a full-scale military assault on the Gaza Strip since December 27, 2008. At least 660 people have been killed and 3000 injured in the air strikes and in the ground invasion that began on January 3, 2009. Israel has ignored international calls for a ceasefire and is refusing to allow food, adequate medical supplies and other necessities of life into the Gaza Strip.

Protesters are outraged at Israel's latest assault on the Palestinian people and by the Canadian government's refusal to condemn these massacres. They are deeply concerned that Canadians are hearing the views of pro-Israel groups who are being represented as the only voice of Jewish Canadians. The protesters have occupied the consulate to send a clear statement that many Jewish-Canadians do not support Israel's violence and apartheid policies. They are joining with people of conscience all across the world who are demanding an end to Israeli aggression and justice for the Palestinian people.  (read more...)

At least 10,000 people gathered at Toronto's Yonge-Dundas Square to protest against Israel's recent assault on Gaza. Protesters then marched through the streets of Toronto to the Israeli Consulate and the United States Embassy. Demonstrators called on the Canadian government to condemn Israel's latest aggression and to cut all political, economic and military ties with Israel until it complies with international law. Protests were also held across Canada in Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver. Demonstrations are scheduled in Montreal on Sunday.

"We are overwhelmed by the support we have received from Canadian civil society, the trade union movement, and allies in the Jewish community. The large number of people on the streets today shows that the Harper government is out of touch with the Canadian public," said Khaled Mouammar President of the Canadian Arab Federation.

As the protest was taking place, Israel began a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip. This latest escalation comes in spite of international condemnation and calls for Israel to end its full-scale military assault on the people of Gaza, which has already killed over 400 people.  It is clear that Israel believes it can act with impunity, and continue to commit war crimes against the illegally occupied Palestinian people.

"We will continue to mobilize and voice our outrage at the crimes being committed in Gaza until the Harper government publicly condemns Israel's violations of international law" stated Farid Ayad, President of Palestine House.

Numerous speakers at the demonstration, including the president of CUPE Ontario Syd Ryan, local Jewish activist Jenny Peto, and Rafeef Ziadah from Palestine House urged the crowd to support the campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israeli apartheid. As part of this campaign, organizers called on the Canadian government to implement sanctions against the Israeli government until Israel halted its aggression upon the population of Gaza and fully complied with international law. Organizers further demanded that Canada insist Israel ends the siege on Gaza and open the borders to allow for food, medicine, water and other essentials of life.

Rally was endorsed by:
Palestine House
Canadian Arab Federation
Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid
Canadian Union of Public Employee (Ontario)
Canadian Union of Postal Workers
Steel Workers - Toronto Area Council
Toronto Coalition to Stop the War
Not in Our Name - Jewish Voices Opposing Zionism
International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network Toronto
Yosher - Jewish Social Justice Network
Women In Solidarity with Palestine
Educators for Peace and Justice
Muslim Unity
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East
Near East Cultural and Educational Foundation
Canadian Forum for Justice and Peace in Sri Lanka
Muslim Association of Hamilton
Canadian Druze Society
Canadian Syrian Cultural Club
Al Huda
Muslim Unity
Canadian Shia Muslims Organization
Worker to Worker Canada Cuba Solidarity Network
Somali Canadian Diaspora Alliance
Science for Peace
Bayan - Canada
Bengali Student Association
McMaster Muslims for Peace and Justice
Arab Students Association at Ryerson University

The Jewish National Fund is scheduled to hold an annual Negev fund-raising dinner at Canada’s Museum of Civilization this coming Monday, November 24.

Please sign the petition now in an attempt to cancel this event. The petition was written by Independent Jewish Voices in Canada and can be found at http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/MuseumofCiv/ .

Click here to read a letter sent to the Museum by the International Jewish anti-Zionist Network.

 

Even if the event takes place, it is not too late to write your own letter telling the museum your opinion on this matter.

Letters can be sent (with a copy to ) to:

Dr. Victor Rabinovicth

President and CEO Canadian Museum of Civilization

Gatineau, Quebec

Fax 819-776-7122

The Jewish National Fund is holding is annual Negev fund-raising dinner at Canada's Museum of Civilization next Monday, Nov. 24. Yhe JNF is an organization committed to and implicated in the ethnic cleansing of Palestine.

About 500,000 of the 625,000 acres of land owned by the JNF were confiscated from Palestinians fleeing war in 1948, and were not purchased with contributions from Jews around the world as the JNF claims. Before 1953, Israel transferred ownership of this land to the JNF for the sole use of Jews.

 "Canada Park," which is maintained through JNF-Canada contributions, is built on the site of three Palestinian villages captured in 1967, whose 10,000 peaceful residents were expelled and all their homes razed to the ground.

The JNF is raising money for the  development of the 'Negev'. The purpose of this money is to complete the dispossession of the Negev's Bedouins. The money will go to Jewish only settlements. 

This is what "Negev Development" funded by the JNF looks like in Khashm Zanna, an unrecognized Bedouin village in the Negev.

Please write to  express your dismay to:

Dr. Victor Rabinovitch
President and CEO
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Gatineau, Quebec
e-mail:
Fax 819-776-7122

 

 Below the fold is IJAN's letter. 

 

 

 (read more...)

Launch Plans

IJAN in Toronto will participate in the Susan Nathan event on October 3, 2008 at 7pm at Steelworker’s Hall on 25 Cecil Street. Susan Nathan will present on her book The Other Side Of Israel: My Journey Across The Jewish-Arab Divide, a vivid portrait of herself encountering apartheid in her adopted country. Following her speaking tour in North America, she will testify in the International Court of Justice at The Hague. Please join the Network to table at the event.

Other launch actions ideas may include:

• a boycott campaign to challenge a pro-Israel consumerism PR campaign being launched in Toronto

• an event connected to the Canadian elections on October 14th to combat Canadian alliances with Israel and Zionism

About Us

We believe IJAN will be useful in addressing the isolation of anti-Zionist Jews in Canada by connecting our work internationally. As the politics of Canada have been moving right, adopting and implementing the neo-liberal political and economic policies of the US and the Bush Administration, it is critical to counter Jewish conservatism with clear Jewish anti-Zionist politics.

IJAN will support the Canadian Palestinian solidarity movement and specifically, the campaigns in support of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions. With its clear articulation of the strategic role for Jews in the Palestine solidarity movement, the Network hopes to challenge Jewish privilege and exclusivity and promote anti-racist practice in the work.

Initiatives and Organizations with which we Work or Partner

Women in Solidarity with Palestine