Retired Canadian diplomat Michael Shenstone at home in Ottawa, March 2015. He died peacefully on September 9, 2019, in Toronto. He was 91. His diplomatic career began in Lebanon in 1954, only 6 years after the creation of the State of Israel. “I visited many refugee camps. It was clear that something terrible, and terribly unfair, had happened to the Palestinians,” he told me. Read more. (more…)
In a new book, Ottawa-based independent political analyst Stephen Gowans examines why the USA has given such extensive military, diplomatic and economic support to Israel for the last half century. That support has led some to conclude that Israel (or “Zionists”, or even “Jews”) control US politics. Gowans calls this the “Judeo-Israeli hijack theory” and believes it is mistaken. Read more and watch the short video interview with Gowans here. (more…)
A frightened Liberal party hastily revoked the candidacy of Hassan Guillet, a well known moderate Muslim cleric, after a pro-Israel lobby group claimed he had made anti-Semitic statements. Anti-Semitism is not acceptable and no political party should accept anti-Semitic candidates. But based on the evidence provided, the claims against the Imam are ill-founded. Read more…
Well-known Palestinian American academic lawyer and author Noura Erekat will be making a 3 city speaking tour in Canada in September. She is a frequent commentator on CNN and elsewhere. Her tour is organized by Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME). She has been very critical of the “peace process” and the so-called two state solution. Read more.
Human rights activists from the United Church of Canada, along with partners and friends, will be gathering from across the country in Ottawa this September. The focus will be “Taking Action” for a just peace in Palestine and Israel. There will be an exciting array of interesting and knowledgeable speakers. Open to the public (but registration required). Read more. (more…)
