Last Wednesday’s attack on Jewish students meeting at Toronto’s York University was no surprise for many of us who have seen the rise of hostility against Jews on university campuses across Canada.
The Jewish students meeting had the required permission from university authorities. However, despite that they were accosted by members of York’s ‘Students Against Israeli Apartheid’ (SAIA), comprising mostly of Muslim students of Arab and Pakistani heritage along with their leftist allies; an alliance sometimes described as the ‘Sharia-Bolsheviks.’
A near brawl ensued with one student injured. Videos posted online show anti-Jewish protesters — some concealing their faces in niqab-style scarves — shouting “viva, viva Intifada,” which gives Hamas slogans a Che Guevara panache.
The violence against Jewish students at York University was roundly denounced by human rights Jewish group Bnai Brith. Michael Mostyn, their CEO, said: “Enraged mobs cannot be allowed to prevent lawful and peaceful gatherings from taking place on campus,” he added.
Mostyn added that: “Further investigation is required into how a registered student group was permitted to glorify terrorism and attempt to intimidate those peacefully assembling on campus. There must be consequences for violent behaviour.”
For their part, Toronto Mayor John Tory, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau all condemned the violent attempt to disrupt the pro-Israel event at York University.
Trudeau tweeted on Nov. 22: “On Wednesday night, violence & racist chants broke out against an event organized by the Jewish community at York University. What happened that night was shocking and absolutely unacceptable. Anti-Semitism has no place in Canada. We will always denounce it & all forms of hatred.”
Mayor Tory took to Twitter to say: “I am very disturbed by the apparent polarization and violence evident from the events of last night at York University. I have heard concerns from several Jewish groups in our city today. Anti-Semitism and violence is totally unacceptable.”
Both John Tory and Justin Trudeau’s condemnation of anti-Semitism sounded suspect to me, in that it was an example of politically correct parroting using language that carries no weight.
Trudeau was being something of a chameleon with his actions.
Yes, the PM denounced anti-Semitism at York. But he also joined hands with such luminaries of democracy and human rights as North Korea, Egypt, Nicaragua, Zimbabwe and the “State of Palestine” to betray its ally Israel and for the first time ever vote in favour of a United Nations resolution that condemns the country.
These votes are an annual ritual at the UN, where the Jewish state is targeted by the Islamic Bloc of over 50 countries, along with the Third World dictators they get to back them.
As for Mayor John Tory, he denounced anti-Semitism on one hand, but has no problem with opening up Toronto City Hall to Islamic call for prayers, the kind of which have previously referenced Jews as people who have earned the wrath of God — something I have documented in previous columns.
Even Toronto Police chaplain Musleh Khan is on record discussing supposed quotes from the prophet that Jews have earned the wrath of Allah.
Politicians cannot claim to fight anti-Semitism while tolerating other examples of Jew hatred.