Michael Koplow, (centre) of the Israel Policy Forum, had some shocking words about Israel for a group of students and professors at the University of Ottawa on October 24th. Other panelists included Professors Costanza Musu (l) and Peter Jones (r). The event was organized by the UofO’s Centre for International Policy Studies (CIPS) and was sponsored by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA). Read more. (more…)
Conservative hopeful Andrew Scheer recently mailed a platform statement to selected Jewish Canadian voters. It had 10 points, of which none relate to defending the rights of the Jewish minority in Canada. Eight of the ten relate to defending Israel. Read more.
“A total outrage against a fragile city,” says Haifa-born architect Moshe Safdie, of a proposed cable-car for Jerusalem. The cable car project is promoted by Israeli settler groups who want to reinforce the Jewish presence in East Jerusalem. It would allow visitors to visit Jewish sites without encountering Arabs. It has faced opposition not only from Palestinians whose neighbourhoods will be defaced, but also from many Jews both inside and outside Israel. Read more. (more…)
The Israel lobby has been very active in this election, attacking candidates who are critical of Israel by claiming they are “anti-Semitic” and demanding that parties drop them. In some cases, it worked and parties flinched. But not always. Its campaign against NDP candidate Miranda Gallo (above) failed. Has the Israel lobby gone to the well too many times? Read more. (more…)
Israeli President Reuvin Rivlin will decide whether Benjamin Netanyahu (r) gets to form a new Likud government, or if that privilege will go to Benny Ganz (l), Netanyahu’s former top general and leader of the “Blue and White” party. The election revealed some interesting paradoxes about Israel. Read more.
