Canada-Israel

Canadians at odds with their government on Israel

As the future of Israeli Jews and Palestinians spirals down into an inevitable and inexorable apartheid struggle, Canadians are being denied their fundamental right in a democracy. That is the right to an honest and frank debate about one of the most important issues faced by the international community -- the ongoing illegal occupation of Palestinian land and the brutal suppression of Palestinian human rights.

It's not that Canadians don't care or don't try to inform themselves. It's that both the media and federal governments are loath to even talk about it. With these two institutions maintaining a steadfast silence there can be no genuine debate. And so we betray both Israelis and Palestinians by condemning them to a future of violence.

Tags:

Comments

We welcome your comments! rabble.ca embraces a pro-human rights, pro-feminist, anti-racist, queer-positive, anti-imperialist and pro-labour stance, and encourages discussions which develop progressive thought. Our full comment policy can be found here. Learn more about Disqus on rabble.ca and your privacy here. Please keep in mind:

Do

Tell the truth and avoid rumours.
Add context and background.
Report typos and logical fallacies.
Be respectful.
Respect copyright - link to articles.
Stay focused. Bring in-depth commentary to our discussion forum, babble.

Don't

Use oppressive/offensive language.
Libel or defame.
Bully or troll.
Post spam.
Engage trolls. Flag suspect activity instead.

Columnists

Trudeau's pro-Israel stance offside with Canadians -- and hampers bid for UN seat

Aiming to outshine the U.S. on the world stage isn't exactly setting the bar high these days. Outshining Norway and Ireland, however, might present a challenge.

And these two small countries are the main competitors if Justin Trudeau is to realize his dream of nabbing a seat for Canada on the United Nations Security Council.

For all the focus on surviving his meeting with Donald Trump this week, the real prize for Trudeau lies at the UN as he seeks to position himself, particularly in Canadian eyes, as a peacekeeping-loving, refugee-embracing, women-buttressing internationalist, leading a Canada that is "back" engaging with the world.

Tags:

Israel lobby Israel-Palestine Conflict public opinion UN Security Council Canada-Israel Trudeau government

Comments

Do

Tell the truth and avoid rumours.
Add context and background.
Report typos and logical fallacies.
Be respectful.
Respect copyright - link to articles.
Stay focused. Bring in-depth commentary to our discussion forum, babble.

Don't

Use oppressive/offensive language.
Libel or defame.
Bully or troll.
Post spam.
Engage trolls. Flag suspect activity instead.

Why won't Canada help the injured children of Gaza?

Bahija Réghaï

| August 19, 2014

Just imagine...

Imagine that you are a 10 year-old child born in Gaza. By now you would have witnessed 11 of what Israel calls "Operations" having such fanciful names as Rainbow, Autumn Cloud, Summer Rain, Warm Winter, Returning Echo, Cast Lead, Pillar of Defense and Protective Edge, the last three actually being devastating all-out wars.

Columnists

Backing Israel trumps defending Canadian democratic rights in Harperland

Please help rabble.ca stop Harper's election fraud plan.Become a monthly supporter.

In April, a brutal Egyptian judge known locally as "the Butcher" handed down a mass death sentence to 683 men. To most civilized observers, this kind of action is associated with the world's most tyrannical regimes.

But to the Harper government, this is the behaviour of a country "progressing towards democracy."

Tags:

Canadian politics Al Jazeera journalism Harper government egypt dictatorship assault on democracy Canada-Israel Arab Spring freedom of press Mohamed Fahmy Abdel-Fatah al-Sissi

Comments

Do

Tell the truth and avoid rumours.
Add context and background.
Report typos and logical fallacies.
Be respectful.
Respect copyright - link to articles.
Stay focused. Bring in-depth commentary to our discussion forum, babble.

Don't

Use oppressive/offensive language.
Libel or defame.
Bully or troll.
Post spam.
Engage trolls. Flag suspect activity instead.

Photo: flickr/Ivan McClellan Photography

Narrow diplomacy: Domestic politics in Harper's foreign policy

Brenna Slawich

| February 19, 2014

When many of us think of diplomacy, the inevitable image that comes to mind is one of meetings discussing matters of peace, war, territorial disputes and matters of trade. For those who travel abroad, consular services -- reporting missing or stolen passports and asking legal advice and the like -- are the first things that come to mind when thinking of diplomacy. Regardless of the images the word represents to each of us, it is a vital art -- the way in which countries negotiate with each other. There are some instances as well where domestic politics come into play. With the nature of politics, it is inevitable.

Has Canada gone too far down the Conservative rabbit hole?

Sarah Boon

| February 13, 2014

You can change the conversation. Chip in to rabble's donation drive today!

Everyone says that as we get older we long for the good old days, and think that the past has never been as bad as the present. Well maybe it's a sign that I'm getting old, but when I read the news these days I have a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that this isn't just a matter of perspective or age, but that there really is something rotten in Canada. And it's coming from our government.

Harper's nerdy image seems to be at odds with his harsh policy making. Is this facade of kittens and sweater vests meant to distract us from his aggressive policy manoeuvers?

Related rabble.ca story:

Why does Harper insist on playing the nerd?

Tags:

Stephen Harper Canada-Israel political strategy political image

politics

Why does Harper insist on playing the nerd?

You can change the conversation. Chip in to rabble's donation drive today!

Stephen Harper's been singing again. In Israel this time. And, boy, was it unhip.

embedded_video

Tags:

Stephen Harper Richard Nixon Canada-Israel political strategy political image

Comments

Do

Tell the truth and avoid rumours.
Add context and background.
Report typos and logical fallacies.
Be respectful.
Respect copyright - link to articles.
Stay focused. Bring in-depth commentary to our discussion forum, babble.

Don't

Use oppressive/offensive language.
Libel or defame.
Bully or troll.
Post spam.
Engage trolls. Flag suspect activity instead.

Columnists

Whose freedom of expression is the Harper government protecting?

You can change the political conversation. Chip in to rabble's donation drive today!

Last week, in Prime Minister Stephen Harper's address to the Israeli Knesset, he equated criticisms of the Israeli state and its policies with anti-Semitism. He stated that "most disgracefully of all, some openly call Israel an apartheid state," continuing on to say that "it is nothing short of sickening."

Tags:

Canadian politics Harper government hate speech pro bono freedom of expression israel apartheid Canada-Israel

Comments

Do

Tell the truth and avoid rumours.
Add context and background.
Report typos and logical fallacies.
Be respectful.
Respect copyright - link to articles.
Stay focused. Bring in-depth commentary to our discussion forum, babble.

Don't

Use oppressive/offensive language.
Libel or defame.
Bully or troll.
Post spam.
Engage trolls. Flag suspect activity instead.

The Canadian ZIonism Question is: Why?

The Canadian Zionism Question - by Denis G Rancourt

http://www.countercurrents.org/rancourt260111.htm

"Here we have Israel as an internationally recognized thug, keeper of the largest open-air prison on earth, regularly practicing war crimes against civilians, targeting civilian infrastructure and continuously disregarding the Geneva Conventions - virtually unanimously denounced by the international community, by every human rights watch group on the globe, and by international civil society for the last many decades - and how do Canadian politicians and parliamentarians respond?

Tags:

Zionism Canada-Israel Denis G Rancourt

Comments

Do

Tell the truth and avoid rumours.
Add context and background.
Report typos and logical fallacies.
Be respectful.
Respect copyright - link to articles.
Stay focused. Bring in-depth commentary to our discussion forum, babble.

Don't

Use oppressive/offensive language.
Libel or defame.
Bully or troll.
Post spam.
Engage trolls. Flag suspect activity instead.

Canada-Israel

Canadians at odds with their government on Israel

Comments

Do

Don't

Trudeau's pro-Israel stance offside with Canadians -- and hampers bid for UN seat

Comments

Do

Don't

Backing Israel trumps defending Canadian democratic rights in Harperland

Comments

Do

Don't

Stephen Harper: A wolf in sheep's clothing?

Related rabble.ca story:

Why does Harper insist on playing the nerd?

embedded_video

Comments

Do

Don't

Whose freedom of expression is the Harper government protecting?

Comments

Do

Don't

The Canadian ZIonism Question is: Why?

Comments

Do

Don't

rabble.ca in your inbox!

Top Picks On rabble