Ms Isha Khan, President & CEO
Canadian Human Rights Museum
85 Israel Asper Way
Winnipeg, MB R3C 0L5
December 27, 2023
Dear Ms Khan,
It has come to the attention of the Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation that the Canadian Human Rights Museum has been under significant pressure from anti-Israel organizations to create exhibits that present stories of anti-Palestinianism history, including suggestions that what Arabs call the Nabka was the equivalent of the Holocaust. It is not the role of the federally funded CHRM to present ahistorical narratives, instead of well documented history. It is inappropriate for the CHRM to adopt a political position that is counter to facts and gives sway to what is demonstrated grassroots antisemitism perpetrated against the Canadian Jewish community, under the pretext of anti-Israelism.
Since October 7th and the most violent, murderous day in Jewish history since the Holocaust, organized factions of "Pro-Palestinian" activists have celebrated these barbaric acts and urged they be repeated, demanded Canada cease supporting its democratic ally in the Middle East, and spread lies and hatred towards Israel and the Jewish people. There has been a significant rise in antisemitic acts, deplorable harassment and threats against Jews and Jewish businesses, and the type of pressure that CHRM has experienced, with calls to eradicate the Jewish state. Producing an exhibit with fabricated history will contribute to this Jew hatred and do nothing to build knowledge, increase human rights or educate for an inclusive future in Canada.
Here are some important, undeniable facts to consider before the Museum invests in a fraudulent portrayal of history.
The Nakba is an Arab word describing the defeat of 5 Arab armies which illegally attacked the nascent Jewish state. The loss was not a genocide, was not an Israel initiated war, and did not include ethnic cleansing of Arabs who fled on orders from their own leaders who promised to wipe out the Jews, after which they would direct Arabs to return. Noting that "Palestinian Arabs" remained in large numbers in Israel, and are 21% of the population today, clearly demonstrates there was no ethnic cleansing. Also, note the significant increase in the Arab population under Jewish sovereignty.
Claims that Palestinian Arabs experience human rights violations every day without context or definition, gives credence to the Palestinian propaganda lies and accusations against Israel and Jews which includes incessant accusations of Israelis/Jews violating Palestinian Arab human rights. There is zero evidence of this claim and the alternate, affording Palestinian Arabs full rights within Israel is the case, whereas Jews have zero rights within any area under the control of the Palestinian Authority and Jews completely evacuated Gaza in 2005. Arabs serve in the Knesset, on the Supreme court in Israel, head major institutions such as hospitals and banks, make up a significant number of professionals as doctors, dentists, pharmacists, 21% of university students, and Arabs are in all walks of life.
Factual history is that the Mufti of Jerusalem was a friend of Hitler and organized Arab Nazi battalions that served with the German Nazis and planned to eradicate all Jews in the Mandate for Palestine, then under British control. Today's Hamas and the Palestinian Authority are both dedicated to the eradication of Israel and of Jews globally as proven in Hamas's published charter and Fatah's celebration of the October 7th massacre and the pay for slay law of the PA, requiring that they reward all Arabs who kill Jews, even babies.
In telling the whole story of the Holocaust, which CHRM is required to do, have you included exhibits on Arab Nazism? Have you shown that Yasser Arafat was a paid KGB agent who along with his handlers, "invented" the concept of a "Palestinian people" in 1967? Have you shown that Mahmoud Abbas earned a doctorate in Russia with a thesis on Holocaust denial? Have you shown the continued terrorism that Israel has experienced since the Oslo Accords, in which peace was promised but within hours of signing, was denied by Arafat in speeches both in Arabic and in English, first to a South African audience?
There is no illegal occupation by the State of Israel on any land, and since it was recognized by the UN in1947, as was Pakistan, one can assume both countries are equally legitimate. Also, note that Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon were formed out of the Ottoman Empire, as was modern Israel, by the Supreme Council of the Victors of WWI, who met in San Remo, Italy in April 2020 and granted a mandate to Britain and a mandate to France to form these geo-political entities. Hence, all of the named countries are creatures of their last colonial rulers. One must acknowledge the Jews are indigenous to the land of Israel, Arabs are indigenous to Arabia and invaded and conquered many foreign lands. Arabs came to the Land of Israel as invaders in the 7th century so cannot claim that Jews are colonizers. Jews always remained in their holy land, despite massive invasions and dispersions.
Jewish arrivals pre-1948 in the Mandate for Palestine, purchased land from absentee Ottoman landlords, and did not steal land from Arabs. The Jewish state encouraged Arab residents to stay and be part of the new country, but Arab leaders were intent on her destruction and invaded. Jordan illegally held Judea and Samaria for 19 years during which it ethnically cleansed the land of Jews, destroyed all the ancient synagogues, and refused access to Jewish holy sites until vanquished in 1967 during the 6-day war that again it initiated.
Should CHRM expend resources on a counterfeit history, it will be shaming the founders of the museum, the teaching of history and the values of liberty, truth and justice that are part of our Canadian heritage.
Sincerely,
Andria Spindel
Executive Director
Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation
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