MPP’s Tim Hudak and Mike Colle teamed up with Avi Benlolo of the Simon Wiesenthal centre to introduce a motion in the Ontario legislature opposing the movement to boycott Israel known as BDS. But the name of the bill is misleading and the explanation for the bill lacks veracity. Read more
Omar Barghouti, one of the founders of the international movement to boycott Israel spoke at Carleton University in 2009. He regularly travels to Europe and the USA. But Israeli authorities have just imposed restrictions on Barghouti, barring him from travelling outside Israel.
Globe and Mail Middle East Bureau Chief Patrick Martin told an Ottawa meeting that he was neither in favour of nor opposed to BDS, the international movement to boycott Israel. But in his presentation, he explained why he thinks Israel sees BDS as a “strategic threat”. He also explained, somewhat ominously, what Israel might thinking of doing about it. Read more. (more…)
A few days after the anti-BDS motion was presented in Parliament by Tony Clement, Ottawa Palestinian Canadian community leaders received threatening phone calls to their homes. Is there a link? Hard to tell. But in Israel, one Israeli cabinet minister has gone a lot farther – actually calling for ‘targeted thwarting’ of BDS leaders like Omar Barghouti – which in Israel is the common Hebrew phrase for ‘killing terrorists.’ (more…)
UWO law professor Michael Lynk was named by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) as a “Special Rapporteur on Palestine”. Within 24 hours, the Israel lobby was in full attack mode, claiming Lynk had a long record of hostility toward Israel and demanding the Government of Canada oppose the nomination. Shortly thereafter, Global Affairs Minister Stephane Dion tweeted that he would ask the UN to review his appointment. But has Dion really checked out Lynk’s background? Read more
Canada Talks Israel/Palestine 