CIC Press Release: CIC Commends the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party and the Bloc Quebecois for Denouncing Israeli Apartheid Week and Condemns the NDP for Refusing To Do So
Posted on: March 12, 2010

The CIC released the following news release today:

CIC Commends the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party and the Bloc Quebecois for Denouncing Israeli Apartheid Week and Condemns the NDP for Refusing To Do So

Ottawa, Ontario
March 12, 2010

The Canada-Israel Committee is deeply appreciative of the motion introduced in the House of Commons by Conservative MP Tim Uppal (Edmonton–Sherwood Park) – and supported by the Liberal Party – condemning ‘Israeli Apartheid Week’, an odious event that takes place annually on university and college campuses across Canada.

The CIC also notes a similar motion introduced by the Bloc Quebecois also denouncing the use of the term apartheid to describe Israel.

“The use of the term apartheid to describe Israel is scurrilous and completely false and serves to intimidate and ostracize Jewish students on campus. The attempt to compare Israel, a democracy that provides full rights to its Arab minority population, is part of a larger concerted campaign to delegitimize the State of Israel. The CIC is particularly grateful to Conservative Member of Parliament Tim Uppal for introducing and stewarding the government motion” stated Moshe Ronen, CIC National Chair.

Finally, Mr Ronen condemned the NDP’s House Leader Libby Davies for not only scuttling any good faith attempt to reach all-party consensus on the issue, but publicly taking credit for it.

“Libby Davies’ utter disregard for the plight of students who are bullied and intimidated on campus in Canada is staggering and unacceptable. This is not an issue of free speech. In fact, the Israel Apartheid Week stifles dialogue, does not constitute legitimate criticism and is simply hateful. Absent an unambiguous disavowal on the part of Jack Layton, the party’s leader, we will have to assume that her positions reflect NDP policy and draw our own conclusions”, stated Ronen.