Independent Jewish Voices

Israel-Palestine: What has caused the crisis and how can we bring an end to it?

IJV — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 23:54:54 +0000

To the uninitiated, the crisis in Israel-Palestine seems unbelievably complicated and impossibly difficult to solve. What's required to understand it is a glance back at some history.

Open Letter to the NDP: It's time to condemn Israel's massacres

IJV — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 14:01:50 +0000

Dear New Democratic Party of Canada,

As fellow Canadians who are concerned with human rights, we call on you to condemn Israel's murderous bombing campaign on the defenceless population of Gaza.

Government stonewalling and possibly spying to shield controversial charity

IJV — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:05:08 +0000

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Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) is disturbed that the Canadian government is spending public funds and resorting to unprecedented political tactics to protect the charitable status of the controversial Jewish National Fund (JNF) from public scrutiny. Foreign Affairs have gone so far as to promote the 'monitoring' of an IJV event criticizing the JNF. IJV is working towards exposing the discriminatory nature of the JNF, which is affecting one of the JNF's charitable branches here in Canada.

Jewish human rights group slams Harper government's UN vote on Palestine

IJV — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 22:32:29 +0000

A Canadian Jewish human rights group is condemning the Harper government's opposition to giving Palestine non-member observer state status at the United Nations. In a vote taken this week by the General Assembly, 138 countries voted to grant Palestine this status.

"Once again the Harper government has embarrassed Canadians on the world stage, rendering itself not only useless but dangerous on the question of peace in the region," explained Independent Jewish Voices - Canada spokesperson Sid Shniad.

Canada fanning flames of war by cutting diplomacy with Iran

IJV — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 18:56:28 +0000

Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) is dismayed by Canada's move to sever diplomatic relations with Iran.

Rachel Corrie's death is not merely a 'regrettable accident'

rabble staff — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 16:55:50 +0000

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

A response to the Israeli court decision to remove any blame from the Israeli Defence Forces or the Israeli driver of the military bulldozer that killed 23-year-old Rachel Corrie nearly a decade ago.

Independent Jewish Voices - Canada rejects Haifa District Court's decision to remove any blame from the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) or the Israeli driver of the military bulldozer that killed 23-year old Rachel Corrie nearly a decade ago. In a decision issued today, Judge Oded Gershon called her death a “regrettable accident."

In March 2003, Corrie, an American peace activist from Washington State, stood in front of the house of a local pharmacist in Rafah, Gaza. Dressed in a bright orange security vest, she and other members of the International Solidarity Movement peacefully stood in front of the home to prevent its demolition.

Jewish human rights group applauds United Church decision on Israeli settlements

rabble staff — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 15:53:25 +0000

Thursday, August 16, 2012

IJV is commending the United Church of Canada for adopting a report calling for the boycott of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Ottawa – Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) is commending the United Church of Canada for adopting a report calling for the boycott of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

"By adopting this historic resolution, the United Church of Canada joins a growing movement of churches, trade unions, and other organizations in Canada and around the world that are boycotting Israel's illegal," says IJV spokesperson Sid Shniad.

"It is not anti-Semitic to criticize Israel. Given the state's ongoing illegal activities it is a moral imperative. We are very encouraged that the United Church has recognized the difference and we look forward to working with the church to move this important human rights work forward."

Video: IJV Canada urges NDP members not to vote for Thomas Mulcair

IJV — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 02:57:40 +0000

Independent Jewish Voices (Canada) has launched a video to challenge Thomas Mulcair's positions on Israel and Palestine. According to IJV, Mr. Mulcair's leadership campaign represents an electoral coalition with Canada's Israel Lobby.

Joint statement on Minister Jason Kenney's condemnation of Israeli Apartheid Week

IJV — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:32:20 +0000

As organizations and groups committed to protecting freedom of expression and public debate on Palestine/Israel, we demand that Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney immediately retract his March 7th statement "condemning Israel Apartheid Week."

Support from Israel lobby for Mulcair NDP leadership bid raises serious concerns

IJV — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:20:43 +0000

With voting underway to elect the new leader of Canada's New Democratic Party and just two weeks until the leadership convention, Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) has discovered information indicating that key players at the highest levels in Canada's Israel Lobby are backing the candidacy of Thomas Mulcair.

IJV is a non-partisan organization and is not endorsing any candidate in the NDP leadership race. But IJV has a responsibility to highlight the fact that the positions of leadership candidate Thomas Mulcair stand out as more closely aligned with those of Stephen Harper than with the NDP on the issue of the ongoing crisis in Israel/Palestine.

Independent Jewish Voices condemns Jason Kenney's attack on free speech

mgregus — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:25:24 +0000

Monday, March 12, 2012

Independent Jewish Voices is demanding that Jason Kenney apologize and retract his defamatory statement in which he condemned Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) and its organizers as anti-Semitic.

Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) Canada is demanding that Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney apologize and retract his defamatory statement in which he condemned Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) and its organizers as anti-Semitic.

IJV Canada is a proud sponsor of IAW. Does the Minister believe IJV Canada is also anti-Semitic?

Iran, the issue of nuclear weapons, and the Netanyahu government's underlying agenda

mgregus — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:56:13 +0000

Monday, February 20, 2012

Contrary to the announcements emanating from the governments of Israel and Canada, Independent Jewish Voices believes there is no evidence that Iran is on the verge of producing nuclear weapons.

Contrary to the announcements emanating from the governments of Israel and Canada, Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) believes there is no evidence that Iran is on the verge of producing nuclear weapons. By way of contrast, it is widely known that Israel has been building such weapons since the late 1960s and is now estimated to possess hundreds of them in its arsenal, which is far and away the largest in the Middle East.

Shaw bans video of peace activist author's book reading

mgregus — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:26:42 +0000

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

"Program Our Way to Fight," the record of an evening with author Michael Reardon recently hosted by the Victoria Chapter of Independent Jewish Voices Canada, is being censored by Shaw Cable.

VICTORIA, B.C. -- "Program Our Way to Fight," the record of an evening with Canadian author Michael Reardon recently hosted by the Victoria Chapter of Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) Canada, is being censored by Shaw Cable in Vancouver.

Pasifik.ca, who recorded the event and wishes to release it as an independent community program, has received an email saying that Shaw TV cannot broadcast the video of Our Way to Fight: Peace-work Under Siege in Israel-Palestine by Michael Riordon, as it is too "unbalanced" and "controversial."

Vancouver protest against Israel's foreign minister today

rabble staff — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 20:15:22 +0000

Monday, September 19, 2011

Vancouverites protest visit of Avigdor Lieberman: Israel's racist, extremist foreign minister.

Lieberman's appalling views and his visit to Canada should not be acceptable to anyone with a modicum of respect for human rights.

- Sid Shniad, Independent Jewish Voices.

What: Protest against Israel's foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman

When: 7:30pm, Monday, September 19, 2011

Where: Outside the venue where Lieberman is speaking, the Jewish Community Centre (Note: the centre is not the event sponsor), 950 W. 41st Ave, near Oak St., Vancouver.

Why: "We are extremely distressed by the Harper government's welcoming of this visit by Israel's extremist, racist foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, a man who has openly advocated ethnic cleansing against the Palestinians," said Sid Shniad, spokesperson for Independent Jewish Voices.