CAEF Honours Journalist Extraordinaire
Barbara Kay was presented with the Advocate Award of Excellence on February 22nd 2024 for her courageous and consistent journalism that shows integrity and honesty, and serves as inspiration for all who seek truth and justice. In today’s mass media environment where seeking truth and expecting objectivity is a challenge, Barbara Kay has maintained high journalistic standards and tackled difficult issues, supporting Israel in the court of public opinion where generally opinions not facts dominate.
Video and in person tributes were shared; and guests and donors learned of a new fund for research into the Impact of Antisemitism on University Faculty, that was established by CAEF.
Read Barbara's acceptance speech published in the National Post, March 2, 2024.
Read story by Barbara Kay, acknowledging the Indigenous people who support the Indigenity of the Jewish people in the land of Israel.
“Whose Land” Episode 17
CAEF has aired several films by Title Deed Media, directed and produced by Hugh Kitson in the series, Whose Land,covering historical, legal and other perspectives on Jewish rights to the land of Israel. The latest episode, #17, was released on Oct 28, 2023, and is available for individual or group viewing.
Do you know why the UN does not create the State of Palestine? This is because resolution 80 of its Charter prohibits it from doing so.
This is the title of a paper by Jean-Patrick Grumberg published in French in July 2022 and republished recently in Israel24/7. The site is in French but it is accessible in translation with google translate.
No More “Safe Spaces” to be a Jew
Reading the news this past week might lead one to conclude that there are no “safe spaces” to be a Jew, especially on Canadian university campuses. Scholars for Peace in the Middle East published a long list of threats and intimidations, attacks, cancellations and resolutions, all aimed at pushing Jewish students and faculty out of public places or off campus entirely, at universities across North America. SPME’s BDS Monitor concludes with this statement: Walkouts and demonstrations were also held at Georgetown University, Stony Brook University, the University of Toronto, the University of Washington, the University of Michigan, Tufts University, Princeton University, the University of Chicago, McGill University, Condordia University, and other schools.
Three Canadian universities are mentioned but there were more. At the Universities of Manitoba and Calgary, students supported votes to deny recognition of the student organization, Students Supporting Israel (SSI) and at UBC there has been a campaign to ban Hillel as a campus organization. A national campaign was launched to have the referendum on this squelched by the President. At McGill U, anti-Israel students blockaded the Bronfman Building, forcing all classes to be moved on line or cancelled as protesters shouted the usual anti-Israel hate slogans and demanded a ceasefire, a call that generally supports Hamas.
Imagine a university that bans Jews? Is this 1939? Will we see Book burnings next?
The Jewish Book Council announced that the literary world is also rife with antisemitism and they are looking to document it and ultimately take action.
CAEF draws this to your attention: “If you have experienced or witnessed an antisemitic incident in literary spaces that you’d like to report, please email reporting@jewishbooks.org with information and a description of what occurred.”
Defund-Dismantle UNRWA
CAEF is prioritizing actions to demand the Canadian government permanently defund, not merely temporarily suspend funding, of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) which was proven to host Hamas and provide personnel and material support to Hamas in the massacre of October 7th. This of course is not new information, as the educational material for all UNRWA schools and teachers’ manuals has long been laden with hatred and calls for violence. Summer camps for Arab kids have been training grounds for physical attacks, the practice ground for what took place in Southern Israel.
Read the Middle East Forum on the birth of UNRWA which laid out the goal of keeping “Palestinian” Arabs permanent refugees and denigrating Israel.
The article points out that even international protests are a sham; the organization's largest donor, the United States, suspended only $300,000 of aid, having already paid $121 million, with hundreds of millions more coming this summer.
Canada lied also, suspending funding only after having increased funds to UNRWA immediately post-Oct 7 and then paid its 2024 commitment early. A disappointing hoax.
Read and watch important information about UNRWA and what must be done
Americans for a Safe Israel tells us that UN Secretary-General Guterres supports UNRWA—He Needs to Go.
UK Lawyers for Israel webinar with Einat Wilf, provides terrific overview of UNRWA’s failings.
UN Watch Conference, The Future Beyond UNRWA has incredible information and explanations of the role UNRWA has played in creating and maintaining the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs, plus suggested solutions.
Breaking News from UK
This is what leadership looks like in addressing antisemitism at institutions and on the streets. Words from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Flash News! Zoom Takes Action to Stop Terror Talk
CAEF sent an urgent message to an executive at Zoom that a webinar scheduled for Sunday, March 3 was featuring Leila Khaled, sponsored by the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) and International Women’s Alliance (IWA) of Canada. Anita Bromberg, President of CAEF, confirmed that the webinar was to be hosted via the Zoom platform, and noted that “Palestinian terrorist Leila Khaled is a leading member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) – designated as a terrorist organization in the US, the European Union, Canada, and Israel. When Khaled was scheduled to appear at a San Francisco State University (SFSU) in 2020, Zoom denied the use of its platform.”
“Providing any material support to terror groups, including Internet conferencing services, would be a blatant violation of the American Anti-Terrorism Act. In Canada, we bring your attention to section 83.18(1) of the Criminal Code provides: Participation in activity of terrorist group 83.18 (1) Every person who knowingly participates in or contributes to, directly or indirectly, any activity of a terrorist group for the purpose of enhancing the ability of any terrorist group to facilitate or carry out a terrorist activity is guilty of an indictable offense and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years. CAEF referred to s.83.18(3)(b) definitions.”
Within hours, Zoom responded, as evidenced by a posting on social media in which ILPS complained that access to Zoom for the “Women in Defense of Peoples’ Struggle” webinar being canceled, for what they claimed was “Zoom’s censorship of pro-Palestinian voices.” Zoom claimed technical issues. CAEF commends Zoom for taking action to stop a terrorist voice from spreading hatred and radicalizing
Flash News! Calls for a Second Summit on Antisemitism
CAEF supports a Call initiated by Marvin Rotrand, former Montreal City Councillor, and outgoing National Director for B’nai Brith’s League for Human Rights, for a Second National Summit on Antisemitism. The first was held in 2021, led by then Special Envoy on Combating Antisemitism and Holocaust Remembrance.
Rotrand states, “A second national summit with decision makers at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels sitting at the table with civil servants, police, educators and representatives of the Jewish community can propose important and effective strategies to combat the rampant antisemitism we are seeing, as well as counsel government how to address on-campus antisemitism.
The City of Cote Saint Luc, Quebec the Town of Ajax, and the City of Richmond Hill Ontario have already adopted motions calling for a second summit.
Senators Leo Housakos and Pierre Dalphond have tabled a motion in the Senate which is likely to be voted on next week.”
Challenging DEI
Read how DEI drove a DEI Director off campus.
Read how the King of Kensington, a statue in Toronto, was vandalized.
Watch Dennis Prager address how Mary Poppins is deemed racist in the UK and gets an adult rating. How woke is too woke?
Ignore, Expose, Ridicule Anti-Zionist Jews
The thesis of Adam Milstein’s latest article, published in the Jerusalem Post on February 18, 2024, is that anti-Zionist Jews, who do not represent any significant component of the Jewish world, are not to be seen as more than a fringe voice and are to be ignored or ridiculed.
Muslims Speak Out
CAEF acknowledges the tremendous support for Israel and condemnation of Hamas for massacres and brutal rape of Jewish women on October 7th from specific Muslim women and Muslim organizations. While not broadly expressed by any major Islamic movement or mosque we are aware of significant allies, such as Muslims Facing Tomorrow, a Canadian NGO and the Council of Muslims Against Antisemitism, an international NGO. See statement issued immediately after the attack on October 7th, 2023.
October 7, 2023
The Council of Muslims Against Antisemitism and its Board strongly condemn the murderous attack on Israel and it’s civilian population by the terrorist organization Hamas backed by Iran.
Here are prominent Muslim leaders debunking the Islamist ideology and recognizing the truth.
Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, Founder and President of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy: "Today we are all Israelis!"
Haras Rafiq, Senior Research Fellow at ISGAP and Trustee of Muslims Against Antisemitism UK: “this attack and escalation by Hamas is reminiscent of al-Qaeda’s attacks on 9/11 in its damage and proportional deaths/injuries. At a time when the region states are either at peace or negotiating peace, it is a deliberate tactic employed by Hamas and its backers to delegitimize peace and derail ongoing negotiations. We must not let the terrorists win!”
Noor Dahri, Exec. Director, Islamic Theology of Counter Terrorism (UK):“I strongly condemn these heinous crimes by Hamas against Israel. This was a war against Israel. It is time for the international community to stand with Israel and stop Hamas aggression for good”
Dahlia al Aqidi, Iraqi-American journalist:“Iran-backed Palestinian terrorists launched an invasion against our ally Israel committing ghastly war crimes. They are celebrating their slaughter in Gaza and The West Bank. We must fully support Israel’s right to defend itself and stand strong on the front lines against terrorism. This is a time for choosing not fence-sitting. I stand unequivocally with Israel.”
Mohammad Rizwan, journalist for The National Post, Washington Post, the Telegraph and the Khaleej Times: The unprovoked aggression unleashed by Hamas-Hezbollah terrorist-infiltrators inside Israel stunned the world. The well-planned and well-coordinated attack by Iranian backed Hezbollah and Hamas combined, is a dare-devil attempt to derail the impending Israeli-Saudi peace deal and a desperate bid to thwart the peace process in the Middle East underlined by Abraham Accords. Once this condemnable aggression is played out, the bogey of terrorism should be laid to rest once and for all. Thoughts and prayers for the victims of this abhorrent act of aggression.
As the details of the atrocities committed by Hamas are unfolding, we find that Hamas acted no different in their brutality than ISIS.
Raheel Raza, Council of Muslims Against Antisemitism
On March 3rd, the Council of Muslims Against Antisemitism and Secure Canada is hosting a special event to bring women of different backgrounds together in heart and mind, entitled “Women on the Frontlines.”
The event featured this diverse group of eminent Muslim voices who spoke out against the horrific sexual atrocities committed by Hamas in southern Israel on Oct 7. They also addressed the implications of this phenomenon, noting it is a religious war driven by a twisted ideology that cannot be ignored, one that is attacking the vulnerable western liberal democracies like Canada. All of the speakers called for action now, urging people to build relations across all ethno-religious communities, to go on the offensive, to challenge and change the warped views that have captured the minds of young people, the curriculum of our schools, and the politics of at least one political party in Canada.
Watch for follow up highlights in upcoming CAEF Bulletin.
Read article about Muslim women who are talking about Hamas’ sex crimes.
Watch CAEF co-sponsored event in Winnipeg, Manitoba, February 25, featuring Bassam Eid, Palestinian Arab human rights activist, journalist and commentator: What Led to the Israel-Hamas War?
Iranians Stand with Israel
On Sunday February 25th, over 70 plus people gathered together to learn from and greet one another in forming common cause in standing strong with Israel and demanding the government of Canada list the IRGC as a terrorist entity. The Iranian regime’s role in global terrorism, spreading hate and dissension, funding anti-Israel and anti-American/Canadian protests, cannot be taken lightly. Jews, Iranians, Indians agreed that Islamism is a common enemy, that Cyrus the Great helped liberate the Jews in Persia, and that the current Canadian government has an obligation to address the demand to prohibit the entry and any business dealings with any member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Advocacy and Action
CAEF Letter to PM Trudeau Re: failings of Ms. Amira Elghawaby, Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia.
CAEF Letter to President, University of Manitoba requesting reinstatement of SSI chapter as a student club.
CAEF Letter to President Mohamed Lachemi of Toronto Metropolitan University Re: Stop International Women's Day March intended to honour two terrorists.
Read Letter from Larry Shapiro, Calgary to the Washington Post, March 2, 2024 in response to an article by Fareed Zakaria.