Headline – Page 2 – Canada Palestine Association

Media Complicity in Demonizing Palestinians

York University Update

“The damage has been done, the smear was repeated and repeated, and a half-hearted revision five days after the first story will not undue the harm that has been caused.”

This quote is from the article posted on the CPA website yesterday, entitled “Jerusalem Post admits to printing false info about York University protest”. That article detailed how false and dangerous accusations against pro-Palestinian supporters in a Jerusalem Post story had lacked any credible evidence and were eventually revised in updated versions.

But indeed, the smear becomes accepted fact. Just today, November 28, 2019, the Toronto Sun carried an inflammatory article by Joe Warmington, entitled “Did York University protestors commit a hate crime?” repeating the same false accusation, again referencing the Jerusalem Post and its quote from Shar Leyb. The original Sun article declared: “One person they may want to talk with is Calgary-born Shar Leyb, a Reservists on Duty speaker who — according to the Jerusalem Post — said “there were hundreds of posters that read ‘stop the IDF killers on campus,’ and ‘we do not let Zionists on York University campus” and we heard some outside chanting “Intifada, Intifada, go back to the ovens, you belong in Europe.’ I have never felt so much hate in my life.”

However, after we pointed out to them in an email exchange that even the Jerusalem Post had revised that quote and removed the second part of it, the Sun has now also revised their story. Mind you, they did not feel compelled to alter the misleading title.

Following the original exchange with the Jerusalem Post and a further query by Dimitri Lascaris, the paper is now on the 5^th version of this particular article. FIVE versions in less than a week. Surely that points to the lack of any credibility of the one biased source for this information. Nonetheless, JPost still insists on repeating it in their introductory paragraph, although attributing it to only “several” protestors.

Even the right-wing FrontPage Mag has revised its story on who alleges to have heard this “chant” and the exact wording involved, but they also are still insisting on leading with this claim in their article and even in their title. Their source is also Shar Leyb, not surprisingly the same source as the Jerusalem Post.

This is how media works to demonize Palestinians and their struggle. First, its an angry mob of 600 who chanted this offensive slogan, then it was downgraded to a handful or several protestors. Then the actual quote from the one source is completely removed from the Jerusalem Post. But the seed has been planted and the tags of racist and anti-Semitic have been loosely thrown around, with even the spectre of “hate crimes” brought up. Will anyone, including PM Justin Trudeau, bother to review all of these developments and admit they were wrong to issue their dangerous accusations of anti-Semitism? And recognize the harm caused by their rush to embrace such fabrications and deceptions?

Anti-Zionism: Cornerstone of Palestine Solidarity

(Photo of 1975 Vancouver protest against Moshe Dayan)

In 1976, the late Shafik al-Hout sat in the living room of a house in Vancouver, Canada with local supporters and passionately tried to mobilize them to be active for Palestine. Give the Palestinian people whatever you can, he said, “even if its just your smile”. Shafik was known for his eloquent speaking and this comment was part truth, part sarcasm and part tragedy.
Al-Hout was in Vancouver as the head of the Palestine Liberation Organization PLO delegation to the UN Habitat Conference that year. His keynote speech to a public meeting, where he was joined on the stage by Mahmoud Darweesh and indigenous poet Lee Maracle, was one of the most moving presentations by a Palestinian guest speaker in Vancouver in 45 years. (Of course, the PLO of 1976 actually symbolized the spirit of what its name meant – Palestine and Liberation!)

The fact that Al-Hout even made it to Vancouver at all was an achievement. The Canadian government of the day had the previous year refused to allow a PLO delegation to attend another UN Conference in Toronto (forcing the relocation of the conference). And the year after, even the Vancouver City Council unsuccessfully made moves (which were later reversed) to have the Habitat Conference cancelled. Once the reality of the conference proceeding became evident, a wide swath of federal Canadian politicians and officials as well as the Israeli ambassador to Canada, rushed to declare that the Conference must be “non political” and not become an “anti-Israel forum”.

In one aspect, regarding the breadth of public support for the Palestinian cause, things have definitely improved. However, this broader support has till now often been more diluted and less principled that what constituted Palestinian solidarity in 1976. There is no longer the same strong leadership by the Palestinian Canadian community to drive the solidarity work as before, a reflection of the serious divisions in the Palestinian movement in general as well as the constant psychological pounding in the West on “terrorism” that imbues all levels of life for Arabs, Palestinians and Moslems in Canada. Groups that were presenting language skill programs have had their funding rescinded and been viciously smeared because the government did not approve of their politics. The heavy-handed moves by Canadian Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney in 2009-2012 against the Canadian Arab Federation, Palestine House and others highlight some of the more blatant examples of creating a climate of censorship with harsh penalties for those who do not tow the government line.

This absence of leadership by Palestinians themselves in work done in their names has been exploited by many liberal (some of them well-meaning) forces who place themselves as the arbiters on what is acceptable, where compromise is necessary and especially what principles, if any, may constitute a red line.
Palestinian activists sadly note that ideas and positions they have been promoting for years that were constantly rebuffed, suddenly become more acceptable when they are espoused by a Western progressive, or even better by a celebrity or a Jewish progressive.

This is not to say that there haven’t been extremely positive developments, like the statement last month by Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) in the U.S. that “unequivocally opposed Zionism”.
Or Gideon Levy’s new article in the Israeli paper Haaretz stating that “Its Leftism or Zionism…you can’t have both”.

Zionism was coined on the model of the European settler colonialist movement of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and shared the same basis of racism, supremacy and disregard for the indigenous peoples. And Theodor Herzl, the founder of political Zionism, wrote in his book The Jewish State in 1896: “We should there form a portion of the rampart of Europe against Asia, an outpost of civilization as opposed to barbarism.”
Since its founding 120 years ago, Zionism has always claimed that it represents all Jews and that Israel is the “Jewish homeland”. The recent Israeli “Nation-State” law is the clear manifestation of this ideology, although the world for the past seventy years was duped (many willingly) with the Israeli slogan of being “the only democracy in the M.E.”. The new law is also meant to redefine anti-Semitism by claiming that since Israel represents the Jews, any criticism, repudiation or hatred of Israeli brutal, racist and genocidal policies must therefore be treated as anti-Semitism.
This recent questioning of the roots and trajectory of Zionism is welcome, long overdue and hopefully signals the beginning of a growing trend. We look forward to the day when other progressive Jewish groups, in Canada and elsewhere, follow the lead of Jewish Voice for Peace on this issue and publicly acknowledge, as JVP did, that Zionism is counter to the ideals of “justice, equality and freedom for all people.”

Perhaps then progressive Palestinian groups will no longer be vilified for taking a clear anti-Zionist position, for stating that they, as the direct victims of Zionism, have an inalienable right to denounce their oppressor and his ideology. Perhaps then Palestinian groups will no longer be labelled as extremist, or as divisive, or as marginalizing themselves, when they call on their supporters to also oppose the ideology that has driven their nation and people to dispossession and turned their lives into a living hell under apartheid, occupation or in exile.
And perhaps then, Palestinian groups will not be expected to show gratitude for “just a smile” or the empty gestures of opportunist politicians or the crumbs of charity. Palestinians will, however, always remember and be grateful for the genuine allies who have been practicing solid and effective international solidarity and support.

(By Marion Kawas)
This article was published in Palestine Chronicle

Boycott The Jim Pattison Group‏

The following is a statement issued by the Canada Palestine Association,… Read more

The following is a statement issued by the Canada Palestine Association, Vancouver.
We hope you support this campaign and will consider endorsing it.
All endorsements should be sent to info@cpavancouver.org and will be noted on our website.
Thank you.

Jim Pattison Supports Israeli Apartheid and Ethnic Cleansing of Palestinians

March 9, 2012 – Canada Palestine Association calls on all supporters of the Palestinian peoples struggle to boycott Jim Pattison and his business empire. Jim Pattison, sole owner and CEO of the Jim Pattison Group, is worth $US 5.8 billion (as of March 2011), and was ranked by Forbes as the 3rd wealthiest person in Canada and 173rd in the world. Pattison is a true representative of the 1% Canadian rich who are monopolizing wealth for their personal interests. He is also a reactionary Evangelical Christian Zionist (or as the Israeli media called him, an “Evangelical billionaire”) who has financially supported many right-wing projects, including last year a donation of NIS 10.6 million ($2.9 million) to “Israeli Roots Journey”. This project is run by the group Mibereshit(1), is co-funded by the Israeli state, and has been referred to by some teachers in Israel as “incessant indoctrination”.

Marc Belzberg, who serves as the Chairman of Mibereshit, stated in an article he wrote:

“Our flagship project, Masa Yisraeli – An Israeli Roots Journey, has offered what can aptly be described as a 6-day Birthright-like experience to 60,000 grade 11 students (since 2006).

The project has made such a profound impact on the country that the Israel Defense Forces asked for a parallel program for its officers and commanders in training several years ago and now thousands participate annually.

The Government of Israel – through its Ministries of Education and Defense – is our partner in this undertaking. But it is a huge undertaking – because for every dollar it contributes – we need to raise two more. We are deeply indebted to the Jim Pattison Foundation, United Israel Appeal of Canada(2) (our emphasis), The Genesis Philanthropy Group, The Claims Conference and Friends of the IDF, whose support has seeded and helped keep this initiative afloat.”

We urge all our supporters locally and overseas to expose Jim Pattison’s complicity in Israeli apartheid, ethnic cleansing and war crimes against the indigenous Palestinian people. Boycott all divisions and outlets(3) of the enormous and global Jim Pattison group, which boasts 455 locations world wide. Join us by endorsing this campaign and sending the message that oppression of the Palestinian people will not be tolerated!!

Footnotes:

1. Mibereshit was originally set up by Rabbi Moti Elon who no longer holds a position with the group and was charged in Oct. 2011with sex crimes.
2. Federation CJA is responsible for “allocations through United Israel Appeal Federations Canada (UIAFC) to Israel”, and all donations to Federation CJA are tax-deductible in full.
3. Car dealerships; Food companies including Canfisco, Buy-Low Foods, SunRype and Overwaitea Food Group (Save-On-Foods and PriceSmart Foods); Entertainment companies; Export and Financial companies including Westshore Terminals, Real Estate Group and Great Pacific Capital; Pattison Outdoor Advertising including billboard advertising; and the Broadcast Group which includes 29 FM stations and three “independent” television stations in western Canada.
——————-
Group Endorsers:

Alliance of Concerned Jewish Canadians, Montreal
American Muslims of Puget Sound, Washington, USA
Barnard-Boecker Centre Foundation, Victoria, BC
BDS South Africa
Boycott Israeli Apartheid Campaign (BIAC), Vancouver
Boycott! Supporting the Palestinian BDS Call from Within, Israel
Canada Palestine Association, Halifax
Canadian Boat to Gaza
Canadian Palestinian Foundation of Quebec (CPFQ), Montreal
Code Pink Women for Peace, Lower Mainland, BC
One Democratic State Group (ODSG), Gaza, Palestine
Palestine House, Toronto
Palestinian and Jewish Unity (PAJU), Montreal
Palestinian Association of Hamilton
Palestinian Students’ Campaign for the Academic Boycott of Israel
(PSCABI), Gaza, Palestine
Popular Struggle Coordination Committee, West Bank, Palestine
Students Against Israeli Apartheid (SAIA), Carleton University, Ottawa
US Campaign for the Academic & Cultural Boycott of Israel (USACBI)
Voice of Palestine, Canada

Individual Endorsers (groups listed for identification only):

Amir M. Maasoumi, Montreal
Andrew Phillips
Annette Wegiel, Vancouver
Betty Beeching
Donald Patterson, Montreal
Edwin Daniel, Victoria.
Genevieve delmas Patterson, Montreal
Ingmar Lee, Denny Island, BC
Jeff Siddiqui, Puget Sound, Washington
Joanna Zilsel, Gibsons, BC
John Beeching
Judith Deutsch, Member of Science for Peace and Independent Jewish Voices, Toronto
Kevin Neish
Lisa Barrett, Vancouver
Marwan Marwan, Port Moody, BC
Mazin Qumsiyeh, Professor, Bethlehem, Al-Quds, and Birzeit Universities, Palestine
Randa Farah, Associate Professor, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
Nicolas Sayegh, Montreal
Richard Bevis, Vancouver
Robert McInnes, Victoria, BC.
Roger Lagassé
Smadar Carmon, Toronto
Stefa Shaler,Vancouver
Wael Ghuneim

Boycott Canadian Tire

Below is a letter Canada Palestine Association sent to the CEO and President… Read more

Below is a letter Canada Palestine Association sent to the CEO and President of Canadian Tire regarding their carrying Israeli products, including those from illegal settlements. CPA is calling on supporters and friends to boycott all Canadian Tire outlets and to cancel their Canadian Tire credit cards. Please go to this link at the CJPME website and add your voice to telling Canadian Tire officials that we will not engage in “business as usual” with such unethical practices.

August 29, 2011

Mr. Wetmore, CEO and President:

Canada Palestine Association learned from Canadians for Justice in the Middle East that you are carrying Israeli products which make your corporation complicit in Israeli war crimes, ethnic cleansing and Apartheid.

We are part of the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement against Israel and will now call immediately for a general boycott of all Canadian Tire outlets, including asking people to cancel their Canadian Tire Credit Cards. Additionally, we will ask our supporters on the Voice of Palestine on a weekly basis to do the same.

This boycott will continue until you stop carrying all Israeli products.

Hanna Kawas

Chairperson, Canada Palestine Association
Cohost, Voice of Palestine

Boycott Cactus Club

JANUARY 28, 2015 – ISRAELI WINES NO LONGER APPEAR ON THE CACTUS CLUB… Read more

JANUARY 28, 2015 – ISRAELI WINES NO LONGER APPEAR ON THE CACTUS CLUB DRINK MENU

Don’t Drink with Apartheid, It’ll Surely Ruin your Appetite!

Dear Friends:

Cactus Club, a chain of restaurants in Western Canada, is carrying one of the Galil wines labelled from Israel on its wine list. Despite several attempts to engage with their management on this issue (see letter below), they have not even acknowledged receiving our messages; rather, they have chosen to ignore the human rights principles at stake. We must let Cactus Club know that many of its customers find this offensive and that it will affect our decision to patronize their restaurants. Please phone their head office 604-714-2025, email reception@cactusclubcafe.com and comments@cactusclubcafe.com, or go into one of their restaurants and speak with the manager and express your concerns.

January 6, 2011
Richard Jaffray, President and Ceo, Cactus Club

Dear Sir:

Several of your customers have recently brought it to our attention that you are carrying the ’06 Galil Mountain Red Wine, labelled from Israel. You may not be aware that the Galil Winery is a joint venture with the Golan Heights Winery (http://www.galilmountain.co.il/Home/English), which produces wines from grapes grown on stolen Arab land. In fact, as their name would indicate, some of their wineries are located on occupied Syrian land in the Golan Heights. All of this is in direct contravention of the Fourth Geneva Convention and stated Canadian policy http://www.international.gc.ca/name-anmo/peace_process-processus_paix/canadian_policy-politique_canadienne.aspx?lang=eng. Nonetheless, the Canadian government has given Israel preferential trading status under the Canada Israel Free Trade Agreement, an agreement that financially enables the Israeli government’s illegal policies and does not even attempt to distinguish products that are from Israeli settlements. As concerned and ethical consumers, however, we cannot wait for the Canadian government to take the lead on this (or for that matter, any other) issue of conscience.

We are urging this change of your company policy, which claims to be committed to education and continuous learning, for two reasons:

First, Palestinian civil society has called for the international community to boycott Israeli products until Israel complies with international law and universal principles of human rights regarding all occupied Arab lands;

Second, the UN Human Rights Norms for Business, unanimously adopted in 2003, prohibits transnational corporations and other business entities from profiting from violations of international humanitarian law (Art. 3), and also prohibits them from using suppliers who do not respect human rights norms (Art. 4.). Profiting from occupation is immoral and bad business.

Your restaurant is being used to advance an illegal occupation and annexation of the Golan Heights. Even the Israeli peace bloc Gush Shalom includes all the Golan Heights wines on their national boycott list of settlement products, under the heading “A Penny to the settlements is a Penny against Peace” http://gush-shalom.org.toibillboard.info/boycott_eng.htm

Your actions are also rewarding Israeli occupation, ethnic cleansing and war crimes that are committed daily by the Israeli Government against the Palestinian and other Arab peoples. Many respected human rights groups, including most recently Human Rights Watch, have condemned Israeli government actions in the occupied Palestinian territories as violations of international law and systematic discrimination. http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/12/18/israelwest-bank-separate-and-unequal.

We urge you to rethink your wine list selection and we are willing to meet at anytime to talk further about this issue. Please be aware that we take this matter very seriously, and will go forward with a public education campaign if necessary, emphasizing why Israeli occupation and militarism hurts us all.

Thank you.

Yours truly,
Hanna Kawas,
Chair, Canada Palestine Association