Debunking the IHRA Definition: A Palestinian Perspective

We will not be silenced! Yes, Israel is a racist endeavour!

On November 16, the new Vancouver City Council adopted the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, despite a massive community pushback that has pledged to keep support of Palestine visible and vocal going forward. The main objective of the IHRA definition is to legitimize Israel and to slander all those who expose its illegal and inhumane activities, putting a chill on the Palestinian solidarity work and covering up for Israeli war crimes.… Read more

Vancouver City Council adopts anti-Palestinian IHRA definition

On November 16, despite strong and diverse opposition, Vancouver City Council adopted the dangerous and divisive IHRA definition. The IHRA is designed to “chill” speech on Palestine and institutionalizes anti-Palestinian racism.
Canada Palestine Association is grateful for all the speakers who took the time to express their opposition to the IHRA in front of council before the vote. They represented the best of Vancouver and showed that our voices will not be silenced.… Read more

Vancouver and #NoIHRA, Again!

Action Alert:
Here is the text of the motion introduced to Vancouver City Council. We encourage all supporters to sign up to speak against the motion either in-person or by phone through this link. #NoIHRA

Update: The BC Civil Liberties Association put out a letter on Nov. 7 reaffirming that they “are strongly opposed to the IHRA definition because of its threat to freedom of expression”.
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Open Letter to Algerian President and the Arab Summit

(English translation below)

الرئيس السيد عبد المجيد تبون

.نشكركم على تسميتكم القمة العربية بقمة فلسطين

.يمر العالم بمنعطف تاريخي والعالم العربي يغفوا في غيبوبة عميقة
بينما تستقبلون رؤساء دول أوروبية مسؤولة عن الابادة الجماعية في الجزائر، فلسطين وأماكن أخرى في العالم، يقوم الإتحاد الأوروبي بمنع مناضلين فلسطينيين من دخول أوروبا وسجن ولعقود طويلة مناضلين يدعمون القضية الفلسطينية

.الغرب يفرض العقوبات على أي دولة تهدد مصالحه، اما أنظمتنا العربية فلا تكترث لمصالح أمتنا وشعوبها

.إذا… Read more

Final Report #IVotePalestine Vancouver

Canada Palestine Association sent out a questionnaire to the candidates and parties running in the upcoming Vancouver city election, asking them about anti-Palestinian racism, #NoIHRA, JNF, police exchanges with Israeli units and making Vancouver an apartheid-free city. Here are the responses to date:
1. Response from Christine Boyle, OneCity Vancouver
2. Response from Sean Orr, Vote Socialist: YES to all five questions.Read more

#IVotePalestine: Vancouver Election Edition

UPDATE: Final Report #IVotePalestine Vancouver

The following questionnaire was sent to all civic organizations running in the Vancouver municipal election. Here are the responses so far.
1. Response from Christine Boyle, OneCity Vancouver
2. Response from Sean Orr, Vote Socialist: YES to all five questions. Vote Socialist also included some of the points raised in our questionnaire in their platform.Read more

David Eby & BC NDP’s Failure on Israeli Apartheid Wines

Four years ago this month, the Boycott Israeli Wines campaign held a picket at the MLA office of BC Attorney General David Eby. At the time, his mandate included the BC Liquor Distribution Branch, which has been flaunting international law and Palestinians rights for over a decade by stocking Israeli apartheid wines linked to the illegal settlement enterprise.

And our delegation inside his office.
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Stop the smear campaigns against Palestinian Advocacy!

New Article in Mondoweiss: Fearmongering and intimidation by Canada’s pro-Israel lobby – Mondoweiss

(Over 85 Canadian and international organizations have endorsed this statement, as well as numerous individuals including Roger Waters. Join with them and send your own letter to Canadian officials here.)

Today, we are witnessing an intensified campaign by the pro-Israel lobby in Canada to smear Palestinian activists and their supporters.… Read more

The False Foundation of B’nai Brith’s Data

Every year, B’nai Brith Canada releases its “Audit of AntiSemitic Incidents”. This report is then heavily marketed to multiple levels of government and often shows up in arguments for adopting certain policies, like the regressive IHRA definition and flawed online hate legislation.

The 2021 report hit a new low in attempting to conflate legitimate pro-Palestinian protest with actual vile acts of hatred against Jews.… Read more

Masterclass in Hypocrisy from Canadian politicians

Send your letter here: Tell BC Government to pull Israeli Apartheid Wines Now! – Action Network

We have been campaigning for years to have illegal Israeli settlement wines pulled off the shelves of publicly owned liquor stores in British Columbia. Successive governments, including the current NDP one, have either ignored or rebuffed our demands to even investigate this situation. We have been told it’s a matter of “consumer choice” or under “federal jurisdiction”.… Read more