Canadian research team exposes Israeli firm spying on Palestinians and international human rights organizations

The Citizen Lab is an interdisciplinary digital research laboratory based at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto. In July 2021, it “outed” NSO, an Israeli digital spy organization which has been involved in spying on Palestinians and on international human rights organizations like Amnesty International. Former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has also been involved in another Israeli company selling similar spy technology. Read more…

(more…)

“Balanced or not balanced?” Public debate lays bare awkward contradictions in Canadian policy toward Israel/Palestine

The Israel/Palestine issue is a contentious foreign policy issue, but Canada’s position rarely gets debated in open forum. I was delighted that the Canadian International Council organized a public debate on the topic: “Is it now time for Canada to recognize the State of Palestine?” and invited me and Dr. David Matas, Senior counsel to Bnai Brith Canada to participate. Read more and watch the video....

(more…)

Dear Mayor Bevilacqua – Is “twinning” your municipality with the Israeli city of Ramla a good way to fight anti-Semitism?

Fighting anti-Semitism deserves to be on the agenda of every Canadian city. And for Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua of Vaughan, (centre) signing a memorandum of understanding with the mayor of a city in Israel, might appear to be a good way to do so. But the Israeli city of Ramla has a dark past, and a troubling racist present. Is “twinning” with Ramla a good way to fight anti-Semitism? Read more….

(more…)

This month the UN General Assembly will be condemning Israel – again – on the issue of Palestinian rights. Why?

un-partition-1947On November 29th, 1947, exactly 74 years ago, the UN took a dramatic decision to “partition” historic Palestine into a “Jewish State” and an “Arab State”. What do you know about that decision and Canada’s role in it? First, try our test. Then register for the Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine webinar on  December 7th: “Why is the UN so critical of Israel?“with UN Special Rapporteur Michael Lynk. Read more… (more…)