Recently, an open letter circulated in support of the Scotiabank Giller prize protesters and Palestinian rights. We were disturbed to find that this letter shared many of the deep biases that have alienated Jewish and non-Jewish writers who stand for peace.
Incomplete narratives spark the growing hatred against Jews and result in further Jewish isolation during a time when communities seeking peace must come together. Glaring omissions in this letter have distressed both Jewish and non-Jewish readers. The October 7th massacre, which resulted in the murder of 1,200 Israelis and the taking of over 200 Israeli hostages was mentioned only in relation to the Canadian government’s response. Hamas, the terrorist organization responsible for the slaughter, is not mentioned at all. This ignores the deep pain of the Jewish community, many of whom are worried about the safety of friends and family in Israel or worse, mourning losses of lives taken on October 7th. The letter also calls for the end of Israel’s “75-year occupation,” without acknowledging the over 3,000-year Jewish presence in the land. This erases the Jewish narrative from the current conflict.
We support the right to peaceful protest and to voice dissent against the death toll in Gaza; however, we cannot stand by while our story is excluded. Both Gazan and Israeli civilians are suffering catastrophically.
We ask our colleagues to find paths to genuine dialogue rather than repeating polarizing narratives that ignore the complexity of the conflict. Only through listening to one another can we hope to find understanding.
The letter above has been signed by over 2300 writers, artists, industry professionals and supporters of the arts.