On May 26th 2016, group of Ottawa citizens concerned with human rights in the middle east founded a new Canadian human rights organization called “Canada Talks Israel Palestine” or CTIP for short. With the founding of CTIP, we formally ended … Continue reading Announcing CTIP – a new Canadian human rights organization
Elizabeth May will stay on as Green Party leader despite her party’s controversial motion supporting the Boycott Divestment Sanction movement which opposes Israeli policy. May said the party will launch a new process to try to reach consensus. It could present a great opportunity for more education on the cause of Palestinian human rights. Read more…
Continue reading “Elizabeth May stays on, opens door to further discussions on BDS”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, accompanied by Foreign Minister Stephane Dion and several leading members of the Canadian Jewish Community. His emotional visit will clearly play a role in his government’s approach to the Israel/Palestine issue. Read more. Continue reading “Trudeau pays emotional visit to Auschwitz”
On returning to Toronto from her visit to Israel last month, Ontario Premier Wynne promised that she would work on a motion to oppose the movement to boycott Israel called BDS. I appeal to her to do some public consultation before preparing the legislation. It might change her mind. Read more.
Palestinian-Canadian Robert Massoud provides a review of a new documentary that explores the relationship between American media and the Israeli Lobby, and how this has helped shape America’s sympathy towards the Israeli narrative of the conflict.
Continue reading “Robert Massoud: Occupation is Many Dimensional”
Mordecai Vanunu shocked the world (and the Israeli government) in 1986 when he revealed that Israel was secretly building an atomic bomb. He spent 18 years in an Israeli prison, 11 of them in solitary confinement. The Israeli government has just laid new charges against him. A Canadian priest who knows Vanunu speaks about the issue. Read more.
This is an excerpt from a serious answer to my letter sent to Ontario MPP Tim Hudak regarding his motion opposing the movement to boycott Israel. To see his full letter and my response to it, read more… Continue reading “The Ontario anti-BDS motion: MPP Tim Hudak answers my open letter”
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
Continue reading “Israel lobby introduces misleading anti-BDS bill in Ontario Legislature”
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.
Continue reading “Israel imposes severe travel restrictions on BDS leader”
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. Continue reading “Israel sees BDS as a strategic threat: Patrick Martin, Globe and Mail”
At a big event organized last January by the Jewish community in Toronto, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne announced she would lead a delegation to Israel. She said she wanted to promote “political, economic and cultural ties” . If she wants to get a balanced view of Israeli history, politics and culture, I have several suggestions for her team to consider. including in her itinerary. She leaves on May 15th, so there might be time to adjust her agenda. Read more.
Continue reading “Premier Wynne’s trade mission to Israel provokes controversy”
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) provides life-saving food, education and medical services to over 5 million Palestinian refugees, including these ones in Syria. The Harper government reduced to zero the Canadian financial contribution. The Trudeau government is hesitating about restoring funding. Read more
Continue reading “Dion dithers on restoring support to Palestinian refugees”
Canada Talks Israel-Palestine 