If Canada is serious about holding Israel to account, it must do more than put forward symbolic votes at the UN. Only when the Trudeau government begins to listen to Palestinian voices and rejects the leading proponents of the “new anti-Semitism” thesis which seeks to label criticism of Israel as a form of anti-Jewish discrimination, will we be capable of moving forward together.

By posting the student video in a host of online venues, pro-Israel apologists ensured that their outrage would go viral, that it would criminalize an innocent young student, and stoke anti-Arab sentiments among their adherents. But the irony in this propaganda effort is this: as with COVID, the viral spread of digital matter does not discriminate politically. It can both serve and destroy its users.

The Abraham Accords, signed by Israel, the United States, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, constitute the latest offence in the Orwellian deception of US-Israeli international relations. A treaty between two nations already at peace with each other is not only redundant but an act of theatrical showmanship. What sort of peace is the deal aspiring toward?

There’s a Canadian law that makes it illegal for the armed forces of any foreign state to recruit soldiers within our borders, but you’d never know it the way Israel and its supporters operate within this country. For three quarters of a century Canadians have been recruited inside this country to fight in Israel’s military. Finally, however, there is an organized effort to stop this practice.

On September 20, Bob Rae and Stephen Lewis spoke to the CBC’s Piya Chattopadhyay about the UN’s 75th anniversary and the institution’s continued relevance in the world. Both Rae and Lewis talked about what can be done to protect multilateralism, but failed to address why Canada’s anti-Palestinian voting record at the UN has played a role in our declining reputation in the world.

In recent weeks, multiple organizations have spoken out against the CBC’s decision to issue an on-air apology after Duncan McCue referenced Palestine during an interview with cartoonist, journalist and war correspondent Joe Sacco on “the themes of colonialism and resource extraction.” The response from CBC management, however, has not been convincing.

Instead of easing diplomatic restrictions on Israel, the international community should be imposing economic and diplomatic sanctions on Israel as an incentive to dismantle the occupation and come to the negotiating table. The UAE’s opportunistic path is not likely to end division and conflict in the region and may in fact intensify and prolong it. This is not something that Canada should encourage.

“I referred to the Palestinian territories as ‘Palestine,’ we apologize.” This surreal on-air apology was broadcast last week on the CBC’s The Current, after guest host Duncan McCue referenced Palestine during an interview with cartoonist, journalist and war correspondent Joe Sacco on “the themes of colonialism and resource extraction.”

Based on the political records of Singh and Garrison, it is far from surprising that they would refuse to sign onto a pledge opposing Israel’s imminent annexation of the Palestinian West Bank. The NDP’s leadership needs to reassess its position, and embody the mantle of a progressive political party that is genuinely committed to standing up for human rights.

The Israel lobby has waged a remarkably successful campaign to bankrupt a small left-wing Toronto restaurant. Despite claiming to fight bigotry, it is the Israeli nationalists who have been guilty of the most overt racism and arguably taken the most anti-Jewish positions in their protests against the eatery.