Oh, Canada
Why is the benign, conflict-averse Canada home to one of the most virulent and even borderline violent communities of Israel-haters in the world?
Gil Troy investigates for Tablet:
As in the rest of the West, Canadian anti-Zionism feeds off an unlikely alliance between Islamist fundamentalists and cosmopolitan leftists. Canadian political culture is more European and New Left than American political culture. David Luchins, an American political science professor at Touro College who worked for the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan for two decades, calls Canada a “goo-goo nation,” using the traditional American term for progressive good-government advocates. In this case it means trying to be an upstanding member of the community of nations, which is admirable, but also a devotee of the United Nations, which risks being delusional.
Many Canadian elites still worship at the altar of the international human rights regime McGill Professor John Humphrey helped construct after World War II. An elaborate organizational infrastructure also intensifies and funds Canadian anti-Zionism as an expression of general solidarity with the left, including the CBC public broadcasting system, leading labor unions, some government-mandated student organizations, and certain Quebec nationalist organizations. Jean Ouellette, a retired professor at the Université de Montréal, notes that, like most Canadians, Quebecois see the conflict “in purely territorial terms and not as an existential divide between Jews and Arabs and between Islamism and the West.” Thus, if campuses are among the most Europeanized—and most anti-Israel—spaces in the United States, Canada is the most Europeanized and most anti-Israel space in North America.
Facing this aggressive offshoot of multicultural leftism dominating Canadian universities is an Anglicized administrative culture more primed to appease radicals than to ensure that embattled Jewish students feel safe in their campus homes. The leading Canadian universities are public; most leading American universities are private. Private institutions enjoy more latitude to curtail rambunctious student groups and are more donor-sensitive. At pricier private schools, it is rare for individuals to “take one class and stay as professional activists,” which was a “big problem at Concordia,” notes Dan Hadad, the marketing and communications director for the Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy.
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Muslims are more passioned, organized and disciplined in their fight. Jews must learn from them. Being liberal wimps does not help.
I absolutely disagree with the statement that Canadians are anti-semitic. We are just more even handed than Americans. We also understand that supporting Israel right or wrong as the US does is foolish in the extreme. We will support Israel’s right to exist as well as Palestinians right to their own nation. We also know that Canada’s interests are not syonymous with Israel’s unlike the US which is very badle mistaken in thinking their interests are the same as Israel’s. What Canadians will not countenance for one second is the buying of legislative votes through Israeli lobbyists. We have seen the disaster that has created in the US and we don’t want it or need it in Canada. Do you hear that B’nai Brith? No buying votes!
This right wing load of bull really gets me riled up..I am Jewish, on the political left of centre and would vote for the Middle party, the Liberals so I can speak from a certain educated perspective if I might say so. Canada is generally supportive of Israel but they surely do not support the fanatic settler types who are going to destroy Israel and the Palestinian chance for peace.. Canadians are a lot more objective and more internationally aware than that of the narrow right wing perspective of this infuriating author. I have a headache reading this prejudiced and distorted anti Canadian diatribe and the obvious lack of understanding of a nation built upon multiculturalism, support for peaceful resolution of conflict, equality before the law and social justice for the poor and NO racial or gender biases permitted to prevent those of us to progress and if such barriers are found we have laws and systems in place to affect such changes..Call ii goo goo if you want but as a former American who made the choice to come here many years ago and can say without reservation that this is a wonderful and peaceful and NOT anti Semitic nation. If one sees outrageous anti Israel sentiment shown in such events as at some university setting, consider this to be proof that even views that you or perhaps I consider not to be valuable assets to peace and tranquility are a part of a free nation. We have people from the Middle East who surely have a different view of the world than do you or do I but do not for a second think that Canadians do not share much empathy with those on both sides of the disputes in that tiny terrain of Israel and Palestine. That does not mean that we toady to one side or the other nor should we. Both sides have their correct and incorrect perspective on what is going on there and having the blind and single minded view of that complex cultural situation there on either side does no one any good. I have watched Israel move to the right and in the end towards isolation from even their closest supporters and I worry over that but by attacking the social structure of my nation and the many left of centre parties here as being anti Semitic is plainly stupid and ignorant of our nature. I would venture to guess that the vast majority of Canadians on both sides of the economic range between left and right support the right of the Palestinians to their own independent state AND the continued support of Israel also...It has nothing to do with Left or Right which is an economic issue and not one of race or loyalty to one tribe or another., Such a view as that of the author is just plainly ignorant of Canada and if this person is Canadian, I can only say that the author does not understand why people are disapproving of many things that Israel has done under Bibi. I can also say that Canadians surely do not support Hamas and company either but I suggest that many of the articles that I read in Haaretz reflect well the views in this country..The fact is Canadians have much less prejudice against Jews than Americans. That is one reason I am HERE. I suspect that you never had threatening phone calls and attempts upon your life by the night riders as did I. That is something I surely do not suffer in this great liberal and tolerant Canada. That said, one ought to as a Jew look at what is going on in Israel itself and listen to THEM, their own citizens who decry the kinds of undemocratic policies, the building of settlements on Palestinian lands and so forth before pointing your nay saying fingers at Canadians. We reflect much more the world view, not the Islamic view, towards the disaster that the right wing are bringing down upon their own heads in Israel. This is not anti Semitism...It is an awareness of fairness and the rights of minorities. That said, I do not think for one minute that the angry voices raised against Israel aids in any reconciliation either. Both sides must learn to listen to one another before the hotheads bring on yet another war. That is the Canadian way...listen to it.
To All -
One miniscule almost evaporatingly tiny and almost non-existent detail is always missed: The attacks are on JEWS and Israel is simply an excuse. I hope the sarcasm isn’t lost.
A great many Jews have no affiliation or concern with the existence of Israel. There have been endless polls taken as to who identifies as a Jew, who practices as a religious Jew, feelings about Israel. You can look them up on your own - there are plenty of them.
The gist is that there are 13 to 16.5 million Jews in the world with no more than 5 to 7 million practicing as religious and not just secular Jews. Some polls show that as many as 50% of Jews worldwide don’t have a strong affiliation - note the word “strong” - to Israel or any real concern over whether or not it continues to exist.
The Left in Europe is a destructive force in that the ONLY concern for the past 30 to 35 years has been the poor poor Palestinians. No other ethnic group seems to concern them.
In Canada it is the same. The names of Biafra, Uganda, Sudan and more than a dozen other hot spot of pure hell never seemed to bother the Left. So in Europe as in Canada JEWS are attacked because Israel is not a darling of the Left. This is pure, unadulterated Anti-Semitism. Jew hating.
Canada’s reaction to Anti-Semitism has not been weak. It has been pathetic. In the USA the B’nai B’rith ADL poll now shows Anti-Semitism at around 19% with the majority of that from Hispanics (thanks to the arcane Catholicism in South America) and Black Muslims. Latinos run at nearly 40% and Blacks at a little less. Go back to the 1960’s and the Anti-Semites made up 2/3rds of the USA population.
What is the Jew hatred index in Canada? When the Left acts on campuses it is Jew hatred, pure and simple. The Palestinians have never been a partner for peace. The State of Palestine is ALL of the Palestine Mandate: Territories, Israel and Jordan. This is their unwavering intent.
Keep attacking Jews and de-legitimizing Israel and see how further from peace we go.
Tom
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Elayne Beneford
04/13/10 04:53 PM
Because there are over 500,000 Muslims now living in Canada;some of whom know how to agitate and use the system.