1

[ThisIntroductionbeginsonp.7ofthebook.Pagenumbersinthebookasprintedareindicatedinsquare
bracketswithinthepresenttext.Inthebook,thefootnotesappearattheendoftheIntroduction,onpp.2129,
ratherthanatthefootofeachpage.]

[Index: Canadian politics, antisemitism, Israel, Palestine]

[Date:April2010]

Introduction
AntisemitismRealandImagined(2010)

MichaelKeefer

Thisbookisaboutanattempttocurtailfreedomofspeechandacademicfreedom
across Canada, and to stigmatize, even to criminalize, certain kinds of human rights
discourse.
Therhetoricaltacticsbeingdeployedinthisattackonfreespeecharefamiliar
enough.Theyconsistinlevelingachargeofantisemitism 1 againstanyonewhodraws
attention to the state of Israels violent, degrading, and (under international law)
flagrantlyillegaltreatmentofthePalestinianpeopleintheOccupiedTerritoriesofthe
WestBankandGaza,orwhopointstothefactthatthistreatmentismotivatedbya
systematicandlikewiseflagrantlyillegalprojectofcolonization,apartheidtreatmentofa
subjectpopulation,andethniccleansing.
1

Ihaveadoptedtheincreasinglywidespreadpracticeofspellingthiswordwithoutahyphen.Some
contributorstothisbookhavepreferredthehyphenatedspellingantiSemitism,whichalsoappearsin
manyofthesourcesfromwhichIhavequoted.

2
Whatisnewistheinstitutional strategythathasbeenadopted.TheCanadian
HouseofCommonsmakesaregularpracticeofappointingparliamentarycommitteesand
delegating to them, through an order of reference, the responsibility to study a
particularsubjectanddeliverfindingsandrecommendationsinareporttotheHouse.In
the present instance, this procedure has been circumvented: with no authority from
parliament as a whole, an allparty coalition of MPs, the Canadian Parliamentary
CoalitiontoCombatAntisemitism(CPCCA),hasconstituteditselfinordertoconducta
ParliamentaryInquiryintoantisemitism.
This groups selfdefinedterms ofreference make clear its intention tobrand
criticismofthestateofIsraelwithinCanadianuniversitiesandthemediaasantisemitic,
andhenceasincitement ofhatred.Theaimisapparentlytohelpcreate aclimate of
opinioninParliament,thejudiciary,andthepolice,aswellasamongthepublicatlarge
withinwhichcriticismsofthestateofIsraelsviolationsofthe GenevaConventions
andinternationalhumanitarianlaw,anditsongoingillegalappropriationsofPalestinian
land,water,andnaturalgasresources,canberedefinedasantisemitism,stigmatizedas
incitementsofhatred,andperhapsevenprosecutedundersection319ofthe Canadian
Criminal Code2 and section 13(1) of the Canadian Human Rights Act,3 [8] or else
summarily silenced by judicial warrants of seizure issued under section 320 of the
CriminalCode.4
By a curious lapse, section 319.(1) of the Criminal Code, which deals with
incitementofhatredlikelytoleadtoabreachofthepeace,doesnotallowadefenceon
thebasisoftruth,thepublicinterest,orevidencethattheaccusedreferredtomatters
producingortendingtoproducefeelingsofhatred withtheintentionofeliminating
2

Section319criminalizespublicincitementofhatredagainstanyidentifiablegroupwheresuch
incitementislikelytoleadtoabreachofthepeace(subsection1),andwilfulpromotionofhatredagainst
anyidentifiablegroup(subsection2).
3
TheCanadianHumanRightsAct13.(1)definesasadiscriminatorypracticetheelectronic
communicationofanymatterthatislikelytoexposeapersonorpersonstohatredorcontemptbyreason
ofthefactthatthatpersonorthosepersonsareidentifiableonthebasisofaprohibitedgroundof
discrimination.
4
Whilesection319.(4)oftheCriminalCodeprovidesfortheforfeiture,followingaconvictionunder
subsections1and2,ofanythingbymeansoforinrelationtowhichtheoffencewascommitted,section
320permitsjudges,onthebasisofinformationonoath,toissuewarrantsauthorizingseizureofpaper
andelectroniccopiesofhatepropaganda.

3
them.AccusationsthathumanrightsactivismcriticalofIsraelandinsolidaritywiththe
Palestinians incites hatred can therefore be expected to include the claim that this
activismislikelytoleadtoabreachofthepeaceagainstCanadianJews 5anironic
prospect,giventhatmanyoftheCanadianhumanrightsactivistsworkinginthisareaare
themselvesJewish.
The CPCCA no doubt anticipates an attentive response from the Canadian
government:itscoorganizersareJasonKenney,MinisterofCitizenship,Immigration
and Multiculturalism and one of the most prominent and outspoken members of the
Harpergovernment,andIrwinCotler,aprofessorinMcGillUniversityslawfacultyand
formerJusticeMinisterintheLiberalgovernmentsofJeanChrtienandPaulMartin.
ProfessorCotler,thoughheisahumanrightslawyerofinternationalstanding,has
arecordofquietextremismonthesubjectsofIsraelsviolationsofPalestinianhuman
rightsandbreachesofinternationallaw:hispositionsontheseissuesresemblethoseof
IsraelsLikudorKadimaparties.
ItakeittobeamarkofextremismthatinAugust2009ProfessorCotlerproduced
twoarticlesattempting,inadvanceofitspublication,todiscreditRichardGoldstones
report to the UN Human Rights Commission (UNHCR)on Israels December 2008
January2009attackonGaza.Inthefirstofthesearticles,CotlerfalselyblamedJudge
GoldstoneforhavingsupposedlyacceptedanunbalancedmandatefromtheUNHCRthat
focusedsolelyonIsraelandthatignoredthequestionofwhethertheHamasgovernment
ofGazaviolatedinternationallaw.6 KennethRoth,executivedirectorofHumanRights
Watch,hasrefutedthisclaim,notingthatalthoughtheUNHCRoriginallyestablisheda
onesided mandate for the Gaza investigation, [] at Goldstones insistence, the
councils presidentbroadenedtheinvestigationbeforeGoldstoneagreedtotakeiton
5

Subsection3ofsection319specifiesthatnooneaccusedundersubsection2canbeconvictedifhe
establishesthatthestatementscommunicatedweretrue,orifthestatementswererelevanttoanysubject
ofpublicinterest,thediscussionofwhichwasforthepublicbenefit,andifonreasonablegroundshe
believedthemtobetrue,orif,ingoodfaith,heintendedtopointout,forthepurposeofremoval,matters
producingortendingtoproducefeelingsofhatredtowardanidentifiablegroupinCanada.Subsection3
makesnomentionofsubsection1,whichwouldimplythatthesedefencesarenotavailableagainstan
accusationofincitementlikelytoleadtoabreachofthepeace.
6
IrwinCotler,TheGoldstoneMissionTaintedtotheCore,JerusalemPost(16August2009);available
onlineatSPME:ScholarsforPeaceintheMiddleEast,http://spme.net/cgibin/articles.cgi?ID=5830.

4
[].Thecouncil,inturn,acquiesced.Goldstonethenconfirmedthatallsides[will]be
investigated.7
Thefalsityofimputationsofonesidednessandbiasisevidentfromthecareful
neutralitywithwhich,onApril3,2009,UNHRCPresidentMartinUhomoibhiexpressed
hisconfidencethatGoldstonesFactFindingMissionwouldassessinindependentand
impartial manner all human rights andhumanitarian law violations committed in the
contextoftheconflictwhichtookplacebetween27December2008and18January
2009.8Attheensuingpressconference,JudgeGoldstoneexpressedhisconcernfor
the heavy loss of innocent lives in Gaza and Israel, his hope that members of the
Missionwouldbeenabledbytherelevantauthorities[]tovisitandmeet[9]with
victimsbothinIsraelandinGazaandintheOccupiedTerritories,andhisconviction
that the invitation I received [] makes it very clear this is to be an independent,
evenhanded and unbiased investigation.9 In the light of these very direct public
statements,itishardtobelievethatProfessorCotlerscriticismscouldhavebeenmadein
goodfaith.
CotlerssecondarticleechoedthefalseclaimsofIsraelipropagandathatHamas
provokedtheoutbreakofhostilitiesinlateDecember2008,thatHamasusedciviliansto
shielditsfightersandambulancestotransportthem,thatGazaisnotoccupiedbyIsrael
but a territory whose status under international law remains unclear, and that any
witnesstestimonyanddocumentaryevidenceacquiredbyGoldstonemusthavebeen
7

KennethRoth,RightofReply:DontSmeartheMessenger,JerusalemPost(25August2009),
availableatHumanRightsWatch,http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/08/25/rightreplydontsmear
messenger.
8
RichardJ.GoldstoneAppointedtoLeadHumanRightsCouncilFactFindingMissiononGaza
Conflict,UnitedNationsPressRelease(3April2009),
http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/2796E2CA43CA4D94C125758D002F8D25?
opendocument.Uhomoibhiwasparaphrasingthemandate,whichwastoinvestigateallviolationsof
internationalhumanrightslawandinternationalhumanitarianlawthatmighthavebeencommittedatany
timeinthecontextofthemilitaryoperationsthatwereconductedinGazaduringtheperiodfrom27
December2008and18January2009,whetherbefore,duringorafter(UnitedNationsFactFinding
MissionontheGazaConflict,UNHumanRightsCouncil(29September2009),
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/specialsession/9/FactFindingMission.htm.
9
NearverbatimtranscriptofpressconferencebythePresidentoftheHumanRightsCouncil,Martin
IhoeghianUhomoibhi(Nigeria)andJusticeRichardJ.GoldstoneontheannouncementoftheHuman
RightsCouncilfactfindingmissionontheconflictintheGazaStrip,Geneva,3April2009;availableat
thesameURLasthepressreleasecitedinnote8above.

5
controlledbytheHamasterroristgovernment.Cotlerconcludedbydemandingthatthe
GoldstoneReportshouldnotjust[]mentionHamassviolationsofinternationallaw,
but[]identifythemastherootcauseoftheGazaconflict.Simplyput,iftherehadbeen
noHamaswarcrimes,therewouldhavebeennoneedforanIsraeliresponse.10
CotlersstatementsabouthowthewarbegancanbemeasuredagainstUniversity
ofOxfordhistorianAviShlaimsobservationthatitwasnotHamasbuttheIDFthat
broketheceasefire.[.]ItisalittleknownbutcrucialfactthatHamasenforcedthe
ceasefireveryeffectivelyonitssideuntilIsraelsabotagedit. 11 The GoldstoneReport
found no evidence that Palestinian fighters in Gaza used civilians or civilian
infrastructuretoshieldthemselvesbutconcludedthatIsraelisoldiersusedPalestinian
civiliansashumanshields.12 Afterconsideringthelegalissues,the Report determined
that Israel has without doubt at all times relevant to the mandate of the Mission
exercised effective control over the Gaza Strip. The Mission is of the view that the
circumstancesofthiscontrolestablishthattheGazaStripremainsoccupiedbyIsrael.
TheprovisionsoftheFourthGenevaConventionthereforeapply[]. 13 AndKenneth
RothhasremarkedthatCotlersclaimaboutHamasscontrolofwitnesstestimonywas
10

IrwinCotler,TheGoldstoneMissionTaintedtotheCore(II),JerusalemPost(18August2009),
availableonlineatUnderstandingtheGoldstoneReport,
http://www.goldstonereport.org/controversies/establishmentofmission/232irwincotleraugust182009
jerusalempostthegoldstonemissiontaintedtothecoreii.
11
AviShlaim,IsraelandPalestine(London:Verso,2009),p.313.Seealsotheconclusionofthe
GoldstoneReportthatTheGazamilitaryoperationswere,accordingtotheIsraeliGovernment,
thoroughlyandextensivelyplanned.WhiletheIsraeliGovernmenthassoughttoportrayitsoperationsas
essentiallyaresponsetorocketattacksintheexerciseofitsrighttoselfdefence,theMissionconsidersthe
plantohavebeendirected,atleastinpart,atadifferenttarget:thepeopleofGazaasawhole.[.]Legal
opinionsandadviceweregiventhroughouttheplanningstagesandatcertainoperationallevelsduringthe
campaign.[.][T]heMissionconcludesthatwhatoccurredinjustoverthreeweeksattheendof2008and
thebeginningof2009wasadeliberatelydisproportionateattackdesignedtopunish,humiliateandterrorize
acivilianpopulation,radicallydiminishitslocaleconomiccapacitybothtoworkandtoprovideforitself,
andtoforceuponitaneverincreasingsenseofdependencyandvulnerability.SeeCJPMEResponseto
CanadaIsraelCommitteeConcerningCICAllegationsontheGoldstoneCommission,CJPME(December
2009),http://www.cjpme.org/Display/Document.aspx?DocumentID=604&SaveMode=0,pp.1,34;and
RichardGoldstoneetal.,HumanRightsinPalestineandOtherOccupiedArabTerritories:Reportofthe
UnitedNationsFactFindingMissionontheGazaConflict(UnitedNationsGeneralAssembly,Human
RightsCouncil,Twelfthsession,Agendaitem7,25September2009),paragraphs1883,1893(pp.406,
40708).
12
CJPMEResponse,pp.2,45;Goldstoneetal.,HumanRightsinPalestine,paragraphs36,44951,
46588,494(pp.18,11314,11722);paragraph55(pp.2223).
13
Goldstoneetal.,HumanRightsinPalestine,paragraph276(p.73);seeparagraphs27080(pp.7275).

6
apparentlymade
without having conducted research in Gaza. Human Rights Watch
researchersinGazahavefoundthatordinaryPalestiniansinterviewed
inprivatearequitewillingtospeakindependentlyofHamas,including
indescribingseriousabusescommittedbyHamasforces.TheIsraeli
government loves highlighting Human Rights Watchs reporting on
Hamasabuses,asdescribedbyGazacivilians,butwhenitcomesto
describingIsraeliabuses,CotlerandtheIsraeligovernment suggest
thatthesesameGazanscanneverspeakthetruth.14
Professor Cotlers smearing of Judge Goldstone and his misrepresentation of
readilyascertainablehistoricalfactsmayseeminoffensivebycomparisonwithhisfriend
AlanDershowitzsbehaviourtheHarvardlawprofessor,denouncingGoldstoneasa
knave rather than a fool, has accused him of aggravated blood libel 15but this is
extremismnonetheless.
[10]JasonKenneysextremismisnoisier.InmidFebruary2009,speakingatthe
LondonconferenceoftheInterparliamentaryCommitteeforCombatingAntisemitismat
whichtheCPCCAsprojectappearstohavebeenformulated,heaccusedtheCanadian
ArabFederation(CAF)ofantisemitismonaccountofitscriticismofIsraelsmilitary
onslaughtonGaza,andindicatedthatorganizationswhichexpresshatefulsentiments
[.]shouldnotexpecttoreceiveresourcesfromthestate,supportfromtaxpayersorany
otherformofofficialrespectfromthegovernmentortheorgansofourstate.16
14

Roth,RightofReply:DontSmeartheMessenger.InresponsetoRothsrebuke,Cotlercomplained
thathewashimselfbeingsmearedbythesuggestionthathewasrepeatingIsraeligovernmentpropaganda:
seeCotler,RightofReply:Falseaccusationsinthemirror,JerusalemPost(15September2009),
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1251804579273&pagename=Jpost%2FJPArticle%2FshowFull.
15
AlanDershowitz,DoubleStandardWatch:Goldstonereportisanadhominemattack,JerusalemPost
(27September2009),http://cgis.jpost.com/Blogs/dershowtiz/entry/goldstone_report_is_an_ad;Anthony
Porretto,AlanDershowitzRespondstoGoldstoneReport,FordhamObserver(9December2009),
http://www.fordhamobserver.com/alandershowitzrespondstogoldstonereport1.2117562.Cotler
evidentlyapprovesofDershowitzspolemicaltactics;heblurbedhisbookTheCaseAgainstIsraels
Enemies(Hoboken,NJ:JohnWiley&Sons,2008),asAmustreadforallwhocareaboutinternational
justiceandIsraelssurvivalinaworldofbiasedenemies.
16
KenneysayssomeCanadianArabgroupsexpresshatredtowardsJews,CBCNews(17February
2009),http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/02/17/kenneyracism.html;citedinCAF,JasonKenney,and
principlesofgovernmentfunding,CJPME(CanadiansforJusticeandPeaceintheMiddleEast)(March
2009),http://www.cjpme.org/DisplayDocument.aspx?DocumentID=350&SaveMode=0.Inaradio

7
InMarch2009,KenneybannedBritishMPGeorgeGalloway,whowasmidway
throughaspeakingtourintheUnitedStates,fromenteringCanadaGallowayscrime
beingthat,indefianceofIsraelsblockadeofGaza,hehadledahumanitarianrelief
convoytoGaza.Atmuchthesametime as Kenneys principal spokesman,Alykhan
Velshi,wasalternatingbetweendenouncingGallowayasafacilitatorofterrorismand
declaringthathewouldntbeallowedintoCanadatopeeonourcarpet(inotherwords,
to criticize Canadas involvement in the blockade of Gaza and the occupation of
Afghanistan),17KenneyhimselfrenewedhisattackonCAF.Ratherthanmakingaformal
accusationofillegalbehaviour(whichwouldhavetobesupportedbyevidence),Kenney
was content with using a smear as the pretext for formally cutting off government
fundingtoCAFswellregardedprogramsforhelpingnewimmigrantsadapttolifein
Canada. Urging Canadians to be wary of the rise of a new form of antiSemitism
cloaked in debates about Israels actions in the Middle East, 18 he made clear his
readinesstolabelanycriticismofIsraelasantisemitic.
interviewonMarch7,2009,KenneystatedthatheannouncedhisdecisiontodefundCAFtothe
bureaucratsoftheDepartmentofMulticulturalismonhisfirstdayinofficeasSecretaryofStatefor
Multiculturalism(January4,2007);seeMinisterJasonKenneysHistorywithCAF,CanadianArab
Federation(9March2009),
http://www.caf.ca/Admin.aspxAppModule=TxAppFramework.Web.Admin&Command=EMBEDDEDFIL
E&DataObjectID=701&ColumnID=3581&FieldName=CONTENT&Lang=EN&RecordID=1948?.
17
Gallowaystalk,sponsoredbytheTorontoCoalitiontoStoptheWar,wasentitledResistingWarfrom
GazatoKandahar.ThenewsthatGallowaywouldbebarredentrytoCanadawasmadepublicinastory
leakedtotheconservativeBritishtabloidTheSun,accordingtowhichhewasdeclared[]inadmissible
becauseofhisviewsonAfghanistanandthepresenceofCanadiantroopsthere.SeeGeorgePascoe
Watson,GallowayisbarredbyCanada,TheSun(20March2009]),
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2330692.ece.InthesameinterviewinwhichVelshi
usedthepeeonourcarpetmetaphor,healsodeclaredthatGallowayfallsafoulofnumerouscriteriain
ourimmigrationlaws.[.]Theyinvolveeverythingfromprovidingmaterialsupporttoterroristgroups,
instigatingthearmedoverthrowofforeigngovernments,engaginginsubversionagainstdemocratic
governments(InfandousGallowayfacesCanadaban,Channel4News[20March2009],
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/infandous+galloway+faces+canada+ban/3039702).Inthis
interviewandelsewhereVelshimaintainedthenolessimprobablefictionthattheactionofbordersecurity
officialshadnotbeeninfluencedbythegovernmentministertowhomtheyreport,JasonKenney.Foran
assessmentofthelegalissuesinvolved,seeWilliamCook,BanningGallowayMocksCanadasCriminal
Code,MWCNews(9April2009),http://mcwnews.net/content/view/29535/42/.
18
TanyaTalaga,KenneyhasnoregretsovercuttingoffArabgroup,TorontoStar(19March2009),
http://www.thestar.com/News/Ontario/article/604720;citedinCAF,JasonKenney,andprinciplesof
governmentfunding.AsthisCJPMEfactsheetpointsout,itisbothunethicaltomakegovernment
fundingdependentonagreementwithgovernmentpolicy,andalsoarguablyaviolationofthelegal
precedentestablishedbytheSupremeCourtofCanadainthe1959landmarkcaseFrankRoncarellivs.
MauriceDuplessis.

8
ThatreadinesswasalsoevidentinearlyMay,whenduringatriptoIsraelKenney
denouncedanewantiSemitismemanatingfromanallianceofWesternleftistsand
IslamicextremistsasevenmoredangerousthantheoldEuropeanantiSemitism. 19 It
wasevident,onceagain,inaspeechhedeliveredinJerusalemonDecember16,2009,at
the annual conference of the Global Forum for Combating AntiSemitism. On this
occasion, Kenney boasted of his governments zero tolerance approach to anti
Semitismwhichmeans,hedeclared(extendinghispreviousslanders),
that we eliminated the government funding relationship with
organizationslikeforexample,theCanadianArabFederation,whose
leadership apologized for terrorism or extremism, or who promote
hatred, in particular antiSemitism. We have ended government
contact with likeminded organizations like the Canadian Islamic
Congress[].Wehavedefundedorganizations, mostrecently like
KAIROS,whoaretakingaleadershiproleintheboycott,divestment
andsanctionscampaign.20
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, an NGO linked to eleven
Canadian churches and churchrelated organizations (among them [11] the United
Church,theAnglicanChurch,thePresbyterianChurch,theEvangelicalLutheranChurch,
theCanadianConferenceofCatholicBishops,andtheMennoniteCentralCommittee),
hasforthirtyfiveyearsconductedinternationalhumanrightsandsocialjusticeprojects
fundedbytheCanadianInternationalDevelopmentAgency(CIDA).ThisNGO,andthe
churchesonwhosebehalfitacts,weredismayedtobeinformedonNovember30th2009
thatfundingforitsprojectswouldnotberenewed,ontheclearlyuntruegroundsthat
KAIROS doesnt fit with CIDAs priorities 21and outraged a fortnight later by
19

RaphaelAhren,CanadaministerblastsdangerousleftistIslamistantiSemitism,Haaretz.com(25
May2009),http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1087973.html.
20
ForthetextofKenneysspeech,seeKenneySpeechatAntSemitism[sic]conferenceinJerusalem,
SoutenezAlternatives(16December2009),http://soutenez.alternatives.ca/node/553.Thespeechas
deliveredincludedthewordingquotedabove;seehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htRrQBjDpqU.
21
MaritesN.Sison,FundingcutsthreatenKAIROS,AnglicanJournal(2December2009),
http://www.anglicanjournal.com/100/articlefundingcutsthreatenkairos/?cHash=47a30e288f.Foranalysis
ofthisfundingcut,seeBahijaRgha,Policyandprejudice:DefundingCanadianaidprojects,Soutenez
Alternatives(19January2010),http://soutenez.alternatives.ca/node/1297.

9
Kenneysslanderousexplanationoftherealmotive.
Morerecently,theHarpergovernmenthaswithdrawnCIDAfundingfromthe
UnitedNationsReliefandWorksAgency(UNRWA),whichprovidesassistanceto4.67
million Palestinian refugees scattered throughout the Middle East and administers
programsintheareasofeducation,healthandothersocialservicesin59Palestinian
refugeecamps,22 andfromtheMontralNGOAlternatives,whichforthepastfifteen
yearshasrunprojectssupportingeducationinoccupiedPalestine.JasonKenneyshand
maybesuspectedintheseasinotherdecisionsaffectingthedisbursementofmoney
throughCIDA:in2003hetargetedUNRWAasbeingresponsibleforthepromotionof
hatred,incitementandantisemitisminthecampsandschoolsitadministers, 23 andthe
Ottawa source who leaked the news of Alternatives defunding to National Post
journalistJohnIvisonanunnamedmalefromoutsideofCIDAwhospoke,asthough
withministerial orgovernmental authority,aboutourprioritiessoundsverymuch
likeKenneyoramemberofhisstaff.24
Kenneys identification of KAIROSand, by implication, most of Canadas
Christianchurchesasantisemiticisnolessfatuousthanhisclaimthattheorganization
hasbeeninvolvedinthecampaigntoboycottandsanctionIsrael.Thatclaim,derived
accordingtoKenneysofficefromNGOMonitor,arightwingU.S.fundedorganization
inIsrael,25 iscontradictedbytheveryKAIROSdocumentthatNGOMonitorcitesas
22

CanadatowithdrawitsfundingtoUNRWA,CJPME(21January2010),
http://www.cjpme.org/DisplayDocument.aspx?DocumentID=629&SaveMode=0.
23
CanadianMPcallsforUNRWAAccountability,BnaiBrithCanadaNewsRelease(27June2003),
http://www.bnaibrith.ca/press/2003/pr03062730.html.TreasuryMinisterVicToewsisreportedinthe
JerusalemPostassayingthat$20million(theamountgivenin2009toUNRWA)willberedirected
towardstrainingprosecutors,judgesandpoliceandbuildingupthePalestinianjudicialsector.Antonia
ZerbisiasnotesthatthisisinkeepingwithwhatCanadahasbeendoingelsewhere,notablyinHaiti.There,
Canadahasbeenbuildingprisonsandtrainingpoliceforcesasopposedtotheusualformsofhumanitarian
aid.TheaimappearstobetohelpthePA[theFatahcontrolledPalestinianAuthority]jailitspolitical
enemieswhoinclude,mostdistinctly,Hamasactivists.SeeZerbisias,CanadaredirectsfundingforUN
reliefagency,TorontoStar(15January2010),http://www.thestar.com/living/article/750917canada
redirectsfundingforunreliefagency;andBahijaRgha,CanadianPolicy:TheJerusalemEffect,OpEd
News(26January2010),http://www.opednews.com/articles/1/CanadianPolicyTheJerusbyBahija
Reghai100125265.html.
24
JohnIvison,Fundingforleftistgrouptobecut,NationalPost(5December2009),
http://www.nationapost.com/opinion/columnists/stry.html?id=2e5f8e01984e4b9591a3f0a50a4afee8.
25
SeeElizabethThompson,GrouplosesfundingduetopositiononMiddleEast,TorontoSun(17
December2009),http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2009/12/17/12195206qmi.html.BenGurion

10
proof that KAIROS is a main supporter of the antiIsrael divestment movement in
Canada.26
ThissqualidstorywhichhasanequallysqualidcodainKenneyssubsequent
attempttodenythathehadsaidwhathealltooclearlydidsayinJerusalem 27isdirectly
relatedtotheCanadianParliamentaryCoalitiontoCombatAntisemitismanditsproject
ofaparliamentaryinquiry.
JasonKenneybegantheDecember16thspeechinwhichheslanderedKAIROSby
notingthepresenceinhisJerusalemaudience ofIrwinCotlerandofScottReidand
MarioSilva,theCoChairsoftheCPCCA;andheconcludedbyreferringagaintothe
CPCCAandbyanticipating,inanapparentreferencetotheCPCCAsyettobewritten
report,thatCanadawillbeabletooffersomeusefulreferencepointsandbestpractices
tosharewiththerestoftheworldandparliamentarianswhoshareourconcernaboutthe
newantiSemitism.28
AccordingtoIsraeliForeignMinisterAvigdorLieberman,speakingatthesame
UniversitypoliticalgeographerDavidNewmannotesthatNGOMonitorsreportsdealalmostentirely
withacritiqueofpeacerelatedNGOsandespeciallythosewhichfocusonhumanrights(Borderline
Views:Whosmonitoringthemonitor?JerusalemPost[30November2009],
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1259243045210&pagename=Jpost/JPArticle/Printer).Cited
repeatedlybyKenneysofficeasasource,NGOMonitorhasdenouncedAlternatives,Oxfam,Amnesty
International,MdecinsSansFrontires,MedicalAidforPalestine,SavetheChildren,ChristianAid,
WorldVisionCanada,andtheMennoniteCentralCommitteeofCanadaaspromotersofantisemitichatred
rhetoricwhichMichelLambert,cofounderanddirectorgeneralofAlternatives,hasinturncalled
ridicule,abusiveetmensongre(Languillesioniste?LeJournaldesAlternatives[13December2009],
http://www.alternatives.ca/fra/journalalternatives/blogues/michellambert/article/languillesioniste?
lang=fr).
26
CanadiangovtdeniesKAIROSgrantapplication,NGOMonitor(8December2009,withupdates
from21December2009),http://www.ngomonitor.org/article/kairos_factsheet.TheKAIROSpaper
includesrecommendationsforaprogramofMorallyResponsibleInvestmentinvolvingtheexertionof
shareholderpressureoninternationalcorporationsinvolvedinIsraelsillegalsettlementsintheoccupied
Palestinianterritories,aswellasthepromotionofPalestinianproductsandservicesanapproachvery
differentfromcallingforgeneraldivestmentanditemphasizesthatKAIROSisnotadvocating
sanctionsagainstIsraelnoraboycottofproductsfromIsrael.SeeEconomicAdvocacyMeasures:
OptionsforKAIROSMembersforthePromotionofPeaceinPalestineandIsraelKAIROS(7January
2008),http://www.kairoscanada.org/fileadmin/fe/files/PDF/HRTrade/Pal
Isr/Paper_EconomicAdvocacyMeasures_Jan08.pdf.
27
FacedwithmountingangeroverhisslanderingofKAIROS(morethanfiftynewsarticlespublishedon
thiscontroversyby5January2010arelistedathttp://kairoscanada.org/index.php?id=647),Kenney
claimedthathehadnotaccusedKAIROSofantisemitismandthatCIDAsdefundingwasnotmotivated
bytheviewshehadnotexpressed.SeeJasonKenney,BevOdacutoffKAIROSfunding,TorontoStar
(24December2009),http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/742495.
28
KenneySpeech.

11
conference,thisnewantisemitismisquitesimplyanycriticismofIsrael,[12]suchas
thatinthe GoldstoneReport (whichdocumentedIsraeliwarcrimesandcrimesagainst
humanityinitsDecember2008January2009attackonGaza):ModernantiSemitism,
theforeignministerasserted,hastakenontheformofbeingantiIsrael.29
****
WhatexactlyisthisCanadianParliamentaryCoalitiontoCombatAntisemitism
(CPCCA)?OnJune2nd,2009,MPsScottReidandMarioSilvaannounceditsformation
asanadhocgroupoftwentyoneMPs,includingmembersofallpartiesintheHouseof
Commons, whose principal task would be to hold a Parliamentary Inquiry into
AntisemitisminCanada.TheCPCCAclaimsindependencebothfromthegovernmentof
Canada andalso fromNGOs andJewishcommunity organizations, and professes its
willingnesstovoluntarilydiscloseallsourcesoffunding.
Accordingtotheorganizationsfirstpressrelease,thisinitiativegrewoutofthe
experience of a delegation of eleven MPs, led by Citizenship, Immigration and
Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney and former Justice Minister Professor Irwin
Cotler,whoattendedtheinauguralconferenceofanorganizationcallingitselftheInter
parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism (ICCA) in London, England in
February2009.TheCanadiangrouptookpartwithoverahundredparliamentariansfrom
other countries in presentations and discussions on the increasing problem of
antisemitism globally, and signed on to The London Declaration on Combating
Antisemitism,whichcalledonallgovernmentstofacetheproblemofantisemitism,
especiallyitsmanifestationsinthemediaandacademia.TheMPsreturnedwiththe
desiretoformaCanadiancoalitiontofightantisemitismhere.30
29

AntiIsraelisthenewantiSemitism,JerusalemPost(16December2009),
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1260930878910.
30
AboutUs,CPCCA,http://www.cpcca.ca/about.htm.Thisisanechoofthefourteenthresolutionofthe
LondonDeclaration:Parliamentariansshouldreturntotheirlegislature,ParliamentorAssemblyand
establishinquiryscrutinypanelsthataretaskedwithdeterminingtheexistingnatureandstateof
antisemitismintheircountriesanddevelopingrecommendationsforgovernmentandcivilsociety
action(ICCA,http://www.antisem.org/londondeclaration/).

12
TheCPCCAcalledforwrittensubmissions,withadeadlineinlateJulythatwas
extendedtotheendofAugust2009,andsubsequentlytoOctober1 st.Afterassessingthe
more than one hundred and fifty responses it received, and extending invitations to
selectedauthorsandtoexpertwitnesses,itscheduledaseriesofeightsessionsoforal
testimony beginning on November 2nd, and in early December announced additional
hearingsscheduledforlateJanuaryandearlyFebruary2010.Areportdrawingonthis
inputistobesubmittedtothegovernmentofCanada,fromwhomtheCPCCAhopesto
receivearesponsebythefallof2010.
TheCPCCAisevidentlymodelingitselfuponaBritishAllPartyParliamentary
InquiryintoAntisemitism,whichissuedacallforpapersinlateNovember2005,and
afterconductingoralhearings,publishedareportinSeptember2006,towhichtheUK
government responded at the end of March 2007. Indeed, one of the ICCAs stated
objectivesisTousetheAllPartyParliamentaryInquiryintoAntisemitismintheUKas
amodeltemplateforothernationalassembliestofollow. 31Appropriatelyenough,given
this[13]aim,thefirstwitnesstoaddresstheCPCCAsopeninghearingonNovember2,
2009wasDenisMacShane,theLabourPartyMPwhochairedthegroupthatconducted
theBritishinquiry.
ThesharedrationaleoftheseparliamentaryinquiriesandoftheICCAisthatwe
arewitnessing,bothinourowncountriesandglobally,aneverwiderdisseminationanda
seriousintensificationofantisemitism.TheBritishReportoftheAllPartyParliamentary
Inquiry into Antisemitism statesand the ICCA and the CPCCA in its preliminary
statements more vehemently assertthat this prejudice has at the same time been
mutating into a dangerous and unprecedented new antisemitism. All three
organizationsavowanurgentneedtocombatthisnewantisemitism,mostespeciallyin
themediaandinacademia.
****
JasonKenney,coleaderwithIrwinCotlerofthegroupthatattendedtheICCA
31

AbouttheICCA,ICCA,http://www.antisem.org/aboutus/.

13
meeting,andan exofficio memberbothoftheCPCCAsSteeringCommitteeandits
Inquiry Committee, is,as Murray Dobbin has remarked, thepoint man forStephen
HarperonissuesinvolvingIsraelor,asHaroonSiddiquihaswritteninthe Toronto
Star,theministerinchargeofputtingonegroupofCanadiansagainstanotherforTory
electoralbenefit.32
ProfessorIrwinCotlerislikewiseakeymemberoftheCPCCA.Notonlydidhe
helptoshepherdtheinitialgroupofelevenMPsacrosstheAtlanticfortheICCAmeeting
inFebruary,butheisalsooneofthefoundersofthatorganization,andislistedonits
websiteasoneofthesixmembersofits SteeringCommittee. InNovember2009,it
emergedthatheisinfacttheChairofthatSteeringCommitteeandoftheICCA 33in
whichcapacityhegavetestimonyinthefirstoralhearingsoftheCPCCA,despitealso
being,withKenney,anexofficiomemberbothoftheCPCCAsSteeringCommitteeand
ofitsInquiryCommittee.
ProfessorCotlerhasbeenpresentateverystep:ascoleaderwithJasonKenneyof
theCanadianparticipantsintheICCAconference,asleaderofthehostorganizationin
LondonandhenceaninstigatorintheformationoftheCPCCA,asamemberofbothof
theCPCCAsorganizingcommittees,andasaleadingwitnessinitsInquiry.
Hisubiquity,suggestiveofanintensedesiretoshapetheoutcomeofthisproject,
comesintofocuswhenonerecognizesthattheCPCCAisthelocalinstantiationofa
largerprojectProfessorCotlerhasbeenworkingonforatleastthepasteightyears.In
January 2002 he cofounded, with Israels Deputy Foreign Minister Rabbi Michael
MelchiorandformerDeputyPrimeMinisterofSwedenPerAhlmark,anorganizationto
be called the International Commission for Combatting AntiSemitism (ICCA). As
32

MurrayDobbin,WillHarpercriminalizecriticismofIsrael?Rabble.ca(19November2009),
http://rabble.ca/columnists/2009/11/HarpercriminalizecriticismIsrael?
utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+rabblenews+(rabble.ca+
+News+for+the+rest+of+us)&utm_content=Bloglines;HaroonSiddiqui,HowtheHarperitesareeroding
oneofCanadasfoundationalpillars,TorontoStar(10January2010),
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/748414.
33
BeyondlistingtheSteeringCommitteesmembers(http://www.antisem.org/steeringcommittee/),the
ICCAgivesnoindicationastoitsleadership.However,intheCPCCAsScheduleofHearingspublishedin
lateNovember2009(http://www.cpcca.ca/inquiry.htm),andalsointherevisedtextoftheCPCCAs
statementAboutUspublishedatthesametime(http://www.cpcca/about.htm),ProfessorCotleris
identifiedasChairoftheICCA.

14
journalistMichaelJ.Jordanwrotesixmonthslater,thisinitiativewasadirectresponseto
theoutbreakofthesecondIntifadainSeptember2000,andtothe2001UN[14]World
Conference Against Racism held in Durban, South Africa, both of which intensified
Israelsbattleforworldopinion.34
AccordingtoMelchior,theproposedcommissionwould
differ from other Jewish efforts because it would be comprised
primarilyofprominentnonJewsandwouldbeglobalinscope,while
angling to establish local commissions in as many countries as
possible[].Thecommissionwouldraisepublicawarenessofanti
Semitismandtakeanactiveroleinlobbying,advocacyandeducation,
Melchiorsaid.35
ProfessorCotlersrolewastoprovidemuchoftheideologicalunderpinningfor
thecommission.JordanquotesakeydefinitionfromthedraftversionofanessayCotler
publishedlaterthesameyear:Inaword,classicalantiSemitismisthediscrimination
against,ordenialof,therightofJewstoliveasequalmembersofafreesociety;thenew
antiSemitismsometimescharacterizedasantiZionisminvolvesthediscrimination
against,denialof,orassaultupon,therightoftheJewishpeopletoliveasanequal
memberofthefamilyofnations.36
The commission was planned on a grandiose scale, with a headquarters in
Geneva, secondary offices in Jerusalem and in New York or Washingtonand,
accordingtoaprospectuspublishedbytheIsraeliMinistryofForeignAffairsinJuly
2002,withanHonoraryPresidencyofninemembers,tobeheadedbyHolocaustsurvivor
and Nobel Prizewinning writer Elie Wiesel, an Executive Committee of fifteen
members,twoAdvisoryCommittees,NationalBranches(tobeestablishedinvarious
countries),andaParliamentarystyleGeneralCouncilwhoseeightymemberswould
34

MichaelJ.Jordan,ToFighttheNewAntiSemitism,JewishGroupsSeekGlobalStrategy,TheJewish
FederationsofNorthAmerica(1July2002),http://www.jewishfederations.org/page.aspx?id=80292.
35

Ibid.
Ibid.Cotlerpublishedthisessay,HumanRightsandtheNewAntiJewishness:SoundingtheAlarm,at
thewebsiteoftheJewishPeoplePolicyPlanningInstituteinNovember2002.Inthatversion,hebacked
awayfromdirectlyequatingthenewantisemitismwithantiZionism,sincenotallcritiquesof
ZionismareantiSemitic(http://christianactionforisrael.org/antiholo/alarm.html#pi).
36

15
berepresentatives ofthenationalbranches andleadingfigures ofoutstandingmoral
stature.37 Buttheprojectlanguished:attheendofJune,RabbiMelchiorsspokesman
indicatedthatdespitetheplannedstartupdateofOctober1,nofulltimeemployeehad
beenhired,andonlyseveralhundredthousanddollarshadbeenraised,partlyfromthe
MinistryofForeignAffairsbudget.38
ThisabortivefirstincarnationoftheICCAwasalltooobviouslyaninitiativeof
theIsraeliMinistryofForeignAffairs.AbrahamFoxman,nationaldirectoroftheAnti
DefamationLeague,toldMichaelJ.Jordanthathewouldntsupportthestrategyifitwas
largely led and implemented by Israelnot because he objected to an exercise of
influenceinthemannerenvisioned,butratherbecauseIsraelhasbilateralrelationswith
manyofthecountriesinwhichtheICCAwouldbeworking,andshouldntputitselfin
a position that jeopardizes those relations, especially when there are Jewish groups
willingtodothedirtywork,headded.39
ThefailureofthisprojectmayhavesuggestedtoProfessorCotleralesstop
heavyorganizationnotacommissionwithnationalbranchofficecommissionswhose
representativeswouldcometogetherinsomethingresemblingaparliament,butrathera
diffuse coalition whoseconstituent [15]groupings wouldthemselves becoalitions of
parliamentarians workingthroughtheir ownnational assemblies. Theseconditeration
ICCA,theInterparliamentaryCoalitionforCombatingAntisemitismthatmetforthe
firsttimeinLondon,inthegalleriesoftheWallaceCollection,inFebruary2009,hasa
formalstructureconfinedtoitssixmemberSteeringCommittee.Andwithfundingfrom
theUKgovernmentandaBritishcharitablefoundation,itislessobviouslyconnectedto
thegovernmentofIsrael.40
37

TheInternationalCommissionforCombattingAntiSemitismICCAJuly2002,IsraelMinistryof
ForeignAffairs(11July2002),http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/antisemitism%20and%20the
%20holocaust/documents%20and%20communiques/the%20international%20commission%20for
%20combatting%20antis.
38
Jordan,ToFighttheNewAntiSemitism.
39
Ibid.IhavereproducedJordanstextexactly:heattributestheremarkaboutdirtyworktoFoxman,but
sincehedoesnotplacethewordsinquotationmarks,theymaybehisownparaphrase.
40
TheFebruary2009conferenceoftheICCAwasfundedprimarilybytheRubinFoundationofLondon
andbytheUKDepartmentofCommunitiesandLocalGovernment;seethewelcomingspeechbySadiq
Khan,MP,TheLondonConferenceonCombatingAntisemitism,CommunitiesandLocalGovernment
(15February2009),http://www.communities.gov.uk/speeches/corporate/combattingantisemitism.The

16
But the connection very definitely persists. One of the ICCA Steering
Committees members is Yuli Edelstein, Israeli Minister of Public Diplomacy and
DiasporaAffairs,whoinmidDecember2009cochairedwithDeputyPrimeMinister
and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman the conference of the Global Forum for
CombatingAntisemitisminJerusalematwhichJasonKenneymanagedtotaintCanadas
mainstreamChristianchurcheswithachargeofantisemitism.
Edelsteinsownaddresstothisconferencewasscarcelyamodelofdiscretionor
subtlety.HedeclaredthatWemustrepeatagainandagainthesebasicfactsTOBE
antiIsrael IS TO BE ANTISEMITIC. TO BOYCOTT ISRAEL, ISRAELI
PROFESSORSandISRAELIbusiness,thesearenotpoliticalacts,theseareactsofhate,
actsofantiSemitism!AntiIsraelhysteriaisantiSemitichysteria.Theyareoneandthe
same.41
Edelsteinwentontosaythathisministrywillworkveryhardtowidenthefield
ofpeopledealingwiththisissue,andwilldoeverythinginourpowertobuildtheICCA,
theinterparliamentarycoalitiontocombatantiSemitism.ThroughtheICCAwecan
standtogether,shouldertoshoulder,inthefightagainstantiSemitism.42
****
TheICCAbeginsitsstatementofpurposewithadramaticdeclaration(whosefirst
sentence,derivedfromtheopeningofCotlersessayHumanRightsandtheNewAnti
Jewishness,proclaimsitsauthorship):
Theworldiswitnessingtodayanescalating,sophisticated,global,
virulentandevenlethalantisemitism,thatisarguablywithoutparallel
announcementoftheICCAsformationinJune2008camefromtheU.K.ForeignOffice,whichsaidit
wouldcohosttheorganizationsFebruary2009meeting;seeCombatingantisemitism,Foreignand
CommonwealthOffice(11June2008),http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latestnews/?
view=PressR&id=3764633.ItseemssubsequentlytohavebeendecidedthatfundingfromtheDepartment
ofCommunitiesandLocalGovernmentwouldmakelinkstoBritishforeignpolicylessobvious.
41
Min.EdelsteinaddressesGlobalForumforCombatingAntisemitism,IsraelMinistryofForeign
Affairs(16December2009),http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Anti
Semitism+and+the+Holocaust/Documents+and+communiques/Min._Edelstein_addresses_GFCA_16Dec
2009.htm.ThecapitalizationisinEdelsteinstext.
42
Ibid.

17
orprecedentsincetheendoftheSecondWorldWar.
Thisescalationandintensificationunderpinsindeednecessitates
the establishment of an international coalition to confront and
combat this oldestand mostenduring ofhatreds.Silence is not an
option.Thetimehascomenotonlytosoundthealarmbutalsoto
act.43
Decentpeopleeverywhereshouldunquestionablyjoininoppositiontoallforms
of racial and ethnic hatred, and repudiate any excuse for or legitimation of racism,
includingantisemitism.ButtheopeningsentenceofCotlersICCAdeclarationisboth
hyperbolicalandlargelyuntrue.44
[16] A residual antisemitism does persist in Europe and in those countries,
descended from settlercolonies, whose inheritance from Christian Europe included a
doseofthistoxicprejudice.Butinnoneofthesecountriesdoesantisemitismhavethe
stateorinstitutionalsupportthatitoftenreceiveduntilthe1950sand60s,orevenlater.
Formsofantisemiticdiscriminationandantisemitichatespeechthatwerewidespreada
generationormoreagoarenowregardedwithdisgust,andinmanycountries,including
Canada,aresubjecttolegalsanctions.Attitudeshavealsochangedforthebetter:the
percentages of people in Europe and North America who report disliking Jews or
regarding them as not fully citizens have steadily declined, and even parties of the
EuropeanfarrightincountrieslikeItaly,Austria,andFrancehavedisavowedtheirlong
standingantisemitism.
It is true that during the past decade especially, public opinion has in most
countriesaroundtheworldswungtowardanincreasinglystrongdisapprovalofthestate
ofIsraelslawlessandinexcusabletreatmentofthepeopleoftheOccupiedPalestinian
Territories, and its untrammeled aggressiveness in relation to neighbouring states.
Confused,perhaps,byclaimsofIsraelipoliticianstobespeakingandactingonbehalfof
Jews everywhere, and by the uncritical support given by mainstream Jewish
organizationsinthediasporaeventoIsraelsmostdisgracefulactions,someprotesters
43

ICCA,AbouttheICCA.
Detaileddiscussionofthemattersalludedtointhefollowingthreeparagraphs,togetherwithsupporting
evidence,willbefoundintheconcludingchaptersofthisbook.
44

18
havefallenintotheerrorofattributingtoJewsingeneraltheactionsofastate.
Moreover,peopleinsomecountriesinwhichEuropeanantisemitismusedtobe,
forthemostpart,anexoticandlargelydisregardedimporthavebeentakingupthetropes
of a prejudice largely eclipsed elsewherea dismaying phenomenon, and one to be
stronglychallenged.Butgiventhatthisformofantisemitismappearstoderivemostofits
impetusfromreactionstoIsraeliviolationsofinternationallaw,thereisoneobviouscure
forit:toendthoseviolations.
Iftodescribeantisemitismofthesekindsassophisticatedseemsinappropriate, 45
whatcanonesayoftheICCAsidentificationofthepresentsituationasunprecedented
sincetheendoftheSecondWorldWar?Isthesituationtodayreallymoreperilousthan
anythingJewshaveexperiencedsincetheHolocaustandtheyearsofpersecutionthat
precededit?Isthattheperiodtowhichwemustlookforparallelsandprecedents?Most
seriousscholarsthatistosay,scholarswhodoevidencebasedcriticalresearchwithin
thedisciplinesofthehumanscienceswoulddismissthecomparisonasasigneitherof
advancedparanoiaoroffearmongering.
SymptomaticoftheICCAsorientationisthefactthatratherthanattemptingin
any way to distinguish between antisemitism and criticism of the state of Israel, its
LondonDeclarationseemsdeterminedtoconflatethetwo:
Wearealarmedattheresurrectionoftheoldlanguageofprejudice
anditsmodernmanifestationsinrhetoricandpoliticalaction[17]
against Jews, Jewish belief and practice and the State of Israel.
(Preamble)
Parliamentariansshallexpose,challengeandisolatepoliticalactors
whoengageinhateagainstJewsandtargettheStateofIsraelasa
Jewishcollectivity(Resolution1);[]
GovernmentsandtheUNshouldresolvethatneveragainwillthe
ThewordsophisticatedmayperhapsbeintendedtoimplythatacademiccriticsofIsraelintheUKand
elsewherearedisguisingtheirrealaimsbypretendingtobeexpressingconcernsaboutuniversalhuman
rights.Whatevertheirprotestationstothecontrary,thesepeoplemustreallybeantisemiteswhose
sophisticationappearsintheskillwithwhichtheytrytoconcealtheirdeepdesiretolashoutatJews,or
atthecollectiveJew,thestateofIsrael.Claimsofthiskindareanintrinsicpartoftheideologyofthe
newantisemitism.
45

19
institutionsoftheinternationalcommunityandthedialogueofnation
statesbeabusedtotrytoestablishanylegitimacyforantisemitism,
includingthesinglingoutofIsraelfordiscriminatorytreatmentinthe
international arena, and we will never witnessor be party to
anothergatheringliketheUnitedNationsWorldConferenceagainst
Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and other related
IntolerancesinDurbanin2001(Resolution6);[]
Education authorities should ensure that freedom of speech is
upheld within the law and to protect [sic] students and staff from
illegal antisemitic discourse and a hostile environment in whatever
formittakesincludingcallsforboycotts(Resolution24).
ItisnoteworthythattheLondonDeclaration,whoselanguageseemsdesigned
toimmunizethestateofIsraelfromcriticism,wasissuedintheimmediateaftermathof
OperationCastLead,IsraelsattackonGazainDecember2008January2009.This
attackinvolvedthetargetingandtheinflictionofmassivedamagetoeveryaspectof
Gazas civilian infrastructure, from water supplyand sewage facilities to educational
institutionsandmedicalclinics,aswellasakillratioofmorethan100to1(orover150
to1,ifwetakeintoaccountthefactthatfourofIsraelstenmilitarycasualtieswerethe
victimsoffriendlyfire).46Thismilitaryoperationhasbeenvehementlycondemnedby
everyinternationalhumanrightsorganizationthathasstudiedtheevidence.Theissue,
then,isnotjustoneofbadtiming:thepoliticianswhoframedtheLondonDeclaration
might,attheveryleast,becriticizedformoralblindness.
Asforthelastoftheresolutionsquotedabove:toaccepttheprinciplethatanyone
whodisagrees withacademic discoursecritical ofIsraelcanlabel itasproducinga
hostileenvironmentandtherebyputitintothesamecategoryasillegalantisemitic
discoursewouldbetodiscardbothacademicfreedomandfreespeech.
Moreover, interpreting calls for boycotts as intrinsically antisemitic and as
ThirteenIsraeliswerekilled,threeofthemnoncombatants.AccordingtothePalestinianCenterfor
HumanRights,1,417Palestinianswerekilled,ofwhom236werecombatants;116ofthePalestiniannon
combatantskilledwerewomen,and313werechildrenoradolescents.SeeRightsgroupnames1,417
Gazawardead,WashingtonTimes(19March2009),
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/mar/19/rightsgroupnames1417gazawardead1/.
46

20
creatingahostileenvironmentforproZioniststudentsis,toputitmildly,problematic.
ThosewhodenounceproposedboycottsofIsraelinthismannerhavebeennotablysilent
onthesubjectofIsraelsactualblockadeandboycottofGazawhichwouldsuggestthat
they are implicitly distinguishing between Israelis, against whom any boycott is
unthinkable, and the Palestinians ofGaza, [18] who are relegated to the category of
hominessacri,peopledeniedanyprotectionunderthelaw, 47andwhosesufferingsunder
farmoreextrememeasuresthananythingthathasbeenproposedasapeacefulmeansof
pressureuponIsraelareunmentionable.
Onenameforthiskindofthinkingisracism.
AcallforboycottingIsraelonthegroundsthatfourfifthsofitspopulationare
Jewswouldindeedbeantisemitic,buttourgeeconomicpressureastheonlypeaceful
wayofpersuadingthestateofIsraeltoabandonexpansionistandoppressivepoliciesthat
havebesmircheditsreputationthroughouttheworldthatisamatterthatcanbesanely
debated (with, one might hope, recourse to criticallysifted evidence, rather than to
smearsandslanders).
The CPCCAs origins in the ICCA conference that produced the London
Declarationaredetectableinitsinitialstatements,fromwhichitisclearthatpriorto
conductinganyresearch,receivinganysubmissions,orhearinganyoraltestimony,the
coalitionknewpreciselywhatitintendedtofind.
Inthesummerof2009,theCPCCAswebsitemade(andstillmakes)exaggerated
claims,unsupportedbyevidence,aboutasupposedglobalresurgenceofantisemitism 48
andamutationofthisprejudiceintodangerousnewforms. 49Intwoofthewebsitesfive
47

SeeGiorgioAgamben,HomoSacer:SovereignPowerandBareLife,trans.DanielHellerRoazen
(Stanford:StanfordUniversityPress,1998).ThelawswhichshouldprotectthepeopleofGaza,buthave
beenmadeeffectivelyinoperativebyIsraelandthecountrieswhichsupportitsblockade(amongthem
Canada,theU.S.,thecountriesoftheEuropeanUnion,andEgypt),includetheFourthGenevaConvention,
Article33(whichforbidscollectivepunishment)andArticles4778(whichdefinetheresponsibilitiesofan
occupyingpower.
48
Theextentandseverityofantisemitismiswidelyregardedasatitsworstlevelsincetheendofthe
SecondWorldWar.CPCCA,FrequentlyAskedQuestions,http://www.cpcca.ca/faqs.htm.
49
Antisemitismisbeingmanifestedinamannerwhichhasneverbeendealtwithbefore.[.]
Antisemitismisanageoldphenomenon,yetitisalwaysreinventedandmanifestedindifferentways.For
example,whileaccusationsofbloodlibelarestillbeingmadeagainsttheJewishpeople,insteadtheyare
beingdirectedagainsttheStateofIsrael,suchthatantiZionismisbeingusedasacoverforantisemitism
(Ibid).

21
sections,thereisprominentmentionofthebloodlibel,thedisgustingaccusationthat
Jews ritually murder Christiansthough without any indication that Canadian
antisemiteshaveactuallybeencirculatingthiscalumny. 50Inbothcases,thereferencesto
thebloodlibelareimmediatelyfollowedbycomplaintsaboutCanadiancampuses,where
Jewishstudentsaresupposedlyterrorizedbybeingthreatened,intimidated,silenced,and
ridiculed.
Asevidencepresentedinthisbookwillshow,theseclaimsarefalse. 51Theaim,
clearly,istostirupmoralpanic,andintheresultingconfusiontooutlawasantisemitic
legitimate criticisms of the state of Israels flagrant violations of international
humanitarianlaw.
****
ThisaimwasconfirmedbytheInquirysdismissalofvirtuallyallthesubmissions
it received proposing genuinely critical, historically responsible, and evidencebased
analysesofpresentdayantisemitism.
The Inquiry received over one hundred and fifty submissionsa significant
proportion of which presented opinions and analyses that diverge sharply from the
positionsadoptedbytheCPCCAitself.Innotonesinglecaseweretheindividualswho
InDecember2009,forthefirsttimeinrecentmemory,adirectbloodlibelappearedintheCanadian
media.Themannerinwhichthishappenedisinstructive.InlateNovember,afarrightwingUkrainian
academicchargedataconferenceinKievthatIsraelhadimportedlargenumbersofUkrainianchildren,
murderedthem,andharvestedtheirorgans.ThisfoulaccusationwasnotedbyIsraelijournalistLilyGalili,
Ukraineacademic:Israelimported25,000kidsfortheirorgans,Haaretz(3December2009),
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1132425.html.Onthesameday,IransPressTVrananarticle
derivedinpartfromGalili(althoughitendorsestheaccusation,itnaivelypreserveshercommentthatthe
chargewasmadeatapseudoacademicconferencewhichalsofeaturedtwoprofessorswhopresenteda
bookblamingtheZionists[for]theUkrainianfamineofthe1930s,aswellasthecountryscurrent
condition).TheIranianarticle,Ukrainiankids,newvictimsofIsraeliorgantheft,PressTV(3
December2009),http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=112772&sectionid=351020606,wasuncritically
republishedbyabiweeklyMuslimcommunitynewspaperinBritishColumbia,alAmeenPost.On
receivinganewsreleasefromBnaiBrithCanadaonJanuary7,alAmeenPostdeletedthearticlefromits
websiteandissuedapartialapology,pleadingitsownlackofjournalisticresources.Thiswasfollowedbya
fullapology,PoorPlanning,LackofJudgmentequalsGriefandHurt!alAmeenPost(12January2010),
http://alameenpost.com/articles.aspx?categoryname=community%20pulse&newsid=1741,whichincluded
acommitmentneveragaintoreproducematerialfromPressTV,asourcenowrecognizedasnotonly
controversialbutalsounreliable.
51
AdetailedanalysisoftheCPCCAsclaimsisofferedinmyconcludingchapter.
50

22
hadsubmittedcriticaloroppositionaltextschosentogiveoraltestimonytotheInquiry,
eventhoughtheyincludescholarsdistinguishedinJewishhistory,sociology,andhuman
rightslaw,aswellasleadingpublicintellectualsandrespectedhumanrightsactivists,
manyofwhomhavepublishedextensivelyonissuesofCanadianforeignpolicy,racism,
andracialdiscrimination.
[19] The filtering out of critical or oppositional submissions made by human
rights organizations or other groups was less complete: the CPCCA did hear from
representativesoftheCanadianCivilLibertiesAssociation,theCanadianUnionofPostal
Workers, and the Canadian Council of Muslim Women 52while rejecting the more
thoroughgoingcriticismsofferedbythesevenhumanrightsorganizationsrepresentedin
thisbook.However,thedisjunctionbetweenwhattheCPCCAchosetoattendtoand
whatitresolutelyignoredremainsstriking.
TheCPCCAfoundtimetohearoraltestimonyfromBarbaraKay,ajournalist
whoin2006incurredwidespreadcomplaintstotheConseildepresseduQubecforan
articlethatallegedlyincitedhatredandracismagainstQubcois.Shehaddenounceda
QubecpeacedemonstrationatthetimeofIsraelsattackonLebanonasaproterrorist
rally,callingitfurtherevidenceofthefatstreakofantiSemitismthathasmarbledthe
intellectualdiscourseofQuebecthroughoutitshistory;andshesmeared[l]eftwing
Quebecintellectualsandpoliticians,includingPierreElliottTrudeau,ashavingalways
enjoyedflirtationswithsupposedliberatorsfromcolonialistoppressionliketheterrorists
of Quebecs very own homegrown Front de Libration du Qubec (FLQ). 53 The
Conseilupheldthecomplaints,judgingthatKaysarticlelackedrigorinitspresentation
ofcontext,distortedfactsinsupportofabiasedinterpretationofevents,andinan
Audiorecordingsoftheirtestimony,aswellaslinkstotheirsubmissionstotheCPCCA,areavailableat
http://www.cpcca.ca/inquiry.htm.
53
BarbaraKay,TheriseofQuebecistan,NationalPost(9August2006),
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1052e1636f24975910d9407471f2261&k=9192&p=2.
ThehallucinatorynotionofPierreTrudeauflirtingwiththeFLQmustresultfrommaliceratherthan
ignorance,sinceKayhasapparentlylivedinQubecsincetheearly1970s,andcouldhardlyfailtobe
awareofTrudeausinvocationoftheWarMeasuresActinresponsetothetwoFLQkidnappingsin
October1970.Kaysjournalisticintegrityhasmorerecentlybeenondisplayonceagain,inherattack
beforetroublingtoreadthebookonGillerPrizenomineeLisaMooresnewnovelFebruary;seeStuart
Woods,LisaMoorestillunreadablyCanadian,BarbaraKaysays,Quill&Quire(10September2009),
http://www.quillandquire.com/blog/index.php/2009/09/10/lisamoorestillunreadablycanadianbarbara
kaysays/.
52

23
inappropriate and provocative manner advanced generalizations apt to perpetuate
prejudice.54
TheCPCCAdidnot,ontheotherhand,givethetimeofdaytoProfessorYakov
M.RabkinoftheUniversitdeMontral,awidelypublishedhistorianwhohasbeena
consultantforNATO,theOECD,andtheWorldBank;whohasbeeninvitedtocomment
oninternationalrelations,includingIsraelandtheMiddleEast,bothintheCanadianand
international media; who has served as an expert witness for the Foreign Affairs
CommitteeoftheParliamentofCanada;andwhosebestknownbook, Aunomdela
Torah:unehistoiredeloppositionjuiveausionisme (2004),hasbeentranslatedinto
eightlanguages.
Thereason,obviouslyenough,isthattheCPCCAsagendadovetailsnicelywith
theextremistopinionsofBarbaraKay,andnotatallwiththecriticalperspectivesoffered
byProfessorRabkin.
AndwhatoftheCPCCAsvauntedindependence,itsclaimthatFundingwill
onlybeacceptedfortheinquiryandconferenceifitwillnotcompromisethetermsof
referenceandthemandateoftheCPCCA,anditspromisetovoluntarilydiscloseall
sources of funding?55 That promise has gone by the waysidethough it has been
establishedthatMonicaKugelmass,theCPCCAsDirectorandaMiddleEastpolicy
advisorinIrwinCotlersoffice,issupportedbytheLegacyHeritageFund,whichhas
alsohelpedpayfortherelocationofIsraelisettlersfromGazaintonewsettlementsinthe
Negev,andisassociatedwiththefundingoftherightwingZionistgroupStandWithUs.56
[20]
****

54

SeeLesdcisionsrenduesparleConseil[NumroD200608009],ConseildepresseduQubec(2
February2007),http://www.conseildepresse.qc.ca/index.php?
option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=33&Itemid=155&lang=fr&did=1550&limitstart=14.(The
phrasesquotedfromthatjudgmentareinmytranslation.)
55
FrequentlyAskedQuestions,CPCCA,http://www.cpcca.ca/faqs.htm.
56
SeeDawgsBlawg:News,ViewsandAnalysis(13December2009),
http://drdawgsblawg.blogspot.com/2009/12/huacnorthanditsbackers.html.Onenotableinstanceof
slanderbyaseniorfigureinStandWithUsisdiscussedintheconcludingchapterofthisbook.

24
In1863Paris,thecapitaloftheWesternartworld,wasshakenbythefirststirring
of what became, in 1874, afullscale secession and revolt. The annual Salonof the
AcadmiedesBeauxarts,atwhichthebestknownpaintersofthedayexhibitedtheir
work,founditselfincompetitionwitharivalSalondesrefuss,whichexhibitedworks
rejectedbytheAcademysjurors.Theseincludedsuchnowacknowledgedmasterpieces
as Edouard Manets Djeuner sur lherbe and James McNeill Whistlers Girl in
White,aswellascanvasesbyCamillePissaroandPaulCzanne.TheSalondesrefuss
cametoberecognized,bythetimeofitsreiterationsin1874and1875,astheexhibition
inwhichwhatCzannecalledtruthinpaintinglavritenpeinture57wastobe
found.TheofficialSaloncontinuedtoprovideavenuefortheproductionsofastifling,
overvarnished, and moribund orthodoxy, which soon came to be scorned as
disconnectedfromlivedrealities.
The principal function of this book is to serve as another kind of Salon des
refuss.Withsomeexceptions,thewitnesseswhowereinvitedtospeakintheCPCCAs
oralhearingshavetoldtheInquirywhatitwantedtohear:thatswhattheywerechosen
for.Thisbookprovides,instead,textsbyhumanrightsactivists,publicintellectualsand
scholarswhoofferedtheirknowledgeandexperiencetotheInquiry,butwererefused.
ThecontributorsRimaBernsMcGown,KarinBrothers,EdwardC.Corrigan,
Mohamed Elmasry, Yves Engler, Bruce Katz, Jason Kunin, Lynda Lemberg, Joanne
Naiman, Yakov M. Rabkin, and Craig Smithspeak from firmly grounded ethical
principles,andfromanunswervingdevotiontopeace,tojustice,andtouniversalhuman
rights.Theyspeakfromasharedconvictionthatthetruthmustbefacedandmustbetold;
theyspeakfromtheevidence;andtheyspeakfromtheheart.
SoalsodothehumanrightsactivistswhoseresponsestotheCPCCAsInquiry,
reproducedhere,werewrittenonbehalfoftheirorganizationstheCanadaPalestine
SupportNetwork,theCanadianArabFederation,CanadiansforJusticeandPeaceinthe
MiddleEast,EducatorsforPeaceandJustice,FacultyforPalestine,IndependentJewish
Voices(Canada),andtheSeriouslyFreeSpeechCommittee.
Thephrase,fromoneofCzannesletters,wasusedbythephilosopherJacquesDerridaasthetitlefora
book,Lavritenpeinture(Paris:Gallimard,1978).
57

25
Inthefirsttwopartsofthisbook,thesecontributors,bothindividualsandthe
spokespersonsfororganizations,offerpowerfulanalysesofthematerialevidence,the
humanfacts,theculturaltraditions,andtheethicalandlegalprinciplesthroughwhichwe
canunderstandthechasmseparatingrealfromimaginedantisemitism.Fromarangeof
differentperspectives,theybringtolightthewidespreadoppositionwithinJudaismand
theJewishcommunitytoaZionistprojectthathasbrutalized Israelis andvictimized
Palestinians, andwarnofthewaysinwhichZionism bothfeedsuponandgenerates
antisemitism.
Inthebooksthirdpart,Ihaveofferedsomefurthercontextswithinwhichto
understand the project of the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to [21] Combat
Antisemitism.Iprovide,first,anoutlineoftheshamefulhistoryofrealantisemitismin
Canada.Thenextchapteranalyzestheissuesinvolvedinassessingthequantitativedata
onwhichanunderstandingoftrendsinantisemiticincidentsmustbebased,andmy
concludingchapterexplorestherhetoricbymeansofwhichdeceptiveimaginingsofa
newantisemitismhavesoughttoconflatecriticismofIsraelwithantisemitism,and
discussessomerecentattemptstosilencecriticsofIsraelwithintheacademy.
ThisbookinitsentiretyresiststheCPCCAsattempttoshutdowndemocratic
debate and principled discussion of an issue that is of primary interest to citizens
committedtopeaceandtosupportersofhumanrightsworldwide.
ThisbookprovidesthemeansbywhichCanadianscanassessforthemselvesthe
CPCCAsdeliberations,andtheclaimsthatarisefromthem.TheCPCCAsfinalreport,
whenitappears,canbemeasuredbycomparisonwiththewaysinwhichthisbooks
contributorstreatthesamequestionsofferingmodelsofhumaneandrigorousanalysis,
insolidaritywiththeoppressed.
Insolidaritywiththeoppressed:isntthatwheretheprophetictraditionwithin
Judaism,togetherwithinternationalhumanrightslaw,insistsweallshouldstand?