Boycott Divestment Sanctions

United Church minister calls on Trudeau and Champagne to reconsider their accusation that boycotting Israel is “anti-Semitic”.

steven berube minister

Reverend Steve Berube of St-Paul’s United Church in Riverview, NB. has been in Palestine several times. In 2018, he frequently visited Ofer Prison where Palestinian children are tried in Israeli courts. He also visited hospitals where other children are being treated as a result of injuries inflicted by Israeli police or military forces. In a painful personal letter to Prime Minister Trudeau and Foreign Affairs Minister Champagne, he explains why boycotting Israel has nothing to do with anti-Semitism and everything to do with human rights. Read his letter (reproduced with permission) here. ….

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Is the “anti-Semitism” label losing some of its punch as a weapon against political parties?

miranda 3The 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…)

Palestinian American author Noura Erekat to do 3 city Canadian speaking tour in September

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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.

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Ten questions to Irwin Cotler about the IHRA definition of “anti-Semitism”: an open letter

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Irwin Cotler at the Western Wall in Israeli occupied East Jerusalem. Cotler is the Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights and former Canadian Minister of Justice under Paul Martin. For several years he has been actively promoting a “new” definition of anti-Semitism which includes broad protection of Israel from criticism. Some aspects of the definition appear problematic. CTIP asks Mr. Cotler to clarify his views. Read more.

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