COlDtYpE bOOKS | ExCERpt
the unanimity of British canada’s political elites An excerpt from hard Truths for Canada About Israel & Palestine, by michael keefer in canadian prime minister harper’s view, any profound criticism of israeli policies and governance can only be a product of antisemitic hatred, spewed forth by people who are simply looking for further ways of victimizing jews
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indicated, serious criticism of the policies he primary cause of the present-day and structures of governance of the state of division within the Jewish commuIsrael must be not merely unrighteous but nity, as formulated by Marc Ellis, has impelled by malice – impelled, indeed, by been the state of Israel’s treatment “a mutation of the old disease of anti-Semof the Palestinians, from the Nakba that itism and the emergence of a new strain,” was an instrumental part of Israel’s founda translation into “more sophisticated laning up to the present day. This is, obviously guage for use in polite society” of the “old enough, a moral as well as a political and hatred” that “led to the horrors of the death legal issue. But while Jewish opinion is deeply and often bitterly divided, camps.” Harper defined the movement for inEnglish-Canada’s political elites a boycott of Israel, both in ternationally and in Canaappear to manifest a rare nearCana unanimity on this same moral, da, as one manifestation of political, and legal issue. this hatred, and he smeared “intellectualIn his address to the Israeli what he called “intellectual FOR CA N A ized arguments against Israeli Knesset on January 20, 2014, ISRAEL DA ABOU T & P A Prime Minister Stephen policies” that are put forward LES MICHA EL KEE TINE FER anothHarper declared that “Canon “some campuses” as anoth ada supports Israel because er sign of a new antisemitism. “Most disgracefully of all,” he it is right to do so.” He added, with a note of selfsaid, “some openly call Israel an congratulation: “This is a apartheid state.” In our prime minister’s view, very Canadian trait, to do any profound criticism of Israeli something for no other reason than that it is right....” policies and governance can only And again, just in case anyone in hard truthS be a product of antisemitic hatred, For canada spewed forth by people who are his audience had yet to appreciaBout iSraeL & simply looking for further ways of ate what fine people we are: “It PaLeStine victimizing Jews. It would seem, is a Canadian tradition to stand then, that not all Canadians propfor what is principled and just, Michael Keefer erly conform to the standards of regardless of whether it is conve- Letonnelier Media (Toronto) public speech and behaviour that nient or popular.” Mr. Harper understands to be By the same token, Mr. Harper $16
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