MOSTYN: Defending Hamas makes you un-Canadian

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Hamas supporters are trying to make Canada as unsafe for Jews as possible. It is disgusting, appalling and repugnant – and it rejects everything liberal democracy stands for.

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It’s not like the Hamas terrorists are going to take the next flight to Toronto. No that Canadian-designated terrorist group who has been attacking Israel since October 7th, unfortunately has an outrageous number of supporters in this country.

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They celebrated across Canada – even handing out candy at their so-called rallies – while the former head of the genocidal Hamas group, Khaled Meshaal, declared a “global jihad” against the Jewish people. He called on pro-terror forces around the world to heed this call last Friday with a “Day of Rage,” the “Day of Al-Aqsa Flooding.” Various Canadian organizations planned “solidarity demonstrations”.

There is no place for “solidarity” with terrorist attacks in Canada. In this country, we resolve our differences peacefully, through democratic elections and free and fair debate. We do not promote violence against any other community, including our political rivals, based on their political or religious beliefs.

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Hamas has proven time and time again that it is a terrorist organization as bad or worse than Daesh (the Islamic State). The Statutes of the group expressly calls on its followers worldwide to murder Jews and rejects all attempts to establish peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. The terrorists’ distorted, grotesque ideology is inhumane and aims to destroy Western civilization itself.

At B’nai Brith Canada, we have long been sounding the alarm about the proliferation of similar pro-terror rallies in Canadian cities. For example, we have repeatedly called on Toronto to ban the annual Al-Quds Day rally because it tends to consist of violent incitement.

There is no doubt about what these rallies mean. B’nai Brith spotted flags with Hamas symbols and slogans at a recent gathering in Toronto and watched in horror as the crowd chanted genocidal chants such as “Liberate Palestine from the river to the sea” and glorified the Palestinians’ “intifada,” an Arabic term , which refers to a violent revolution. Some also shouted in Arabic: “Khaybar, Khaybar, oh Jews, the army of Mohammed will return!” – a popular anti-Semitic saying that Hamas itself uses to incite extremists.

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Meanwhile, Khaled Barakat – a senior leader of the US-Canada-designated terrorist group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) – addressed protesters at a hate rally in Vancouver, where he continues to live.

Many of these rallies are supported by radicalized university students and youth organizations. An event planned by the Palestinian youth movement for Oct. 13 in cities including Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver was billed as a “Flood Al-Aqsa” march, the name Hamas itself gave to its attack. In recent years, a co-sponsor, Students in Solidarity with Palestinian Human Rights, of B’nai Brith was caught distributing Hamas-affiliated keffiyehs (scarves) and other materials.

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As Canadians, we must ask ourselves who we are and how much more of this evil incitement we are willing to tolerate.

Think about it: A Hamas terrorist called for a holy war against all Jews, and there are Canadians celebrating it. Jewish Canadians should not have to wake up and wonder whether today is a safe day to send their children to school.

During the Holocaust, Canada missed its chance to be on the right side of history and save innocent Jewish lives. In the first few days since the Hamas massacre, we have received strong support from the vast majority of our elected leaders.

There are moments in history that require taking sides. You cannot support Hamas’ actions and at the same time claim to believe in a multicultural and diverse Canada.

— Michael Mostyn is CEO of B’nai Brith Canada

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