Attendance of man accused of antisemitism at Hill event sparks outcry from MPs, Jewish groups | 24CA News
An all–social gathering occasion on Parliament Hill this week has been hit by controversy after quite a few MPs condemned one of many occasion’s attendees, who has been accused of anti-Jewish sentiments.
On Tuesday, the Canada-Palestine Parliamentary Friendship Group hosted a reception to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. The occasion was attended by Nazih Khatatba, editor of a Toronto-based Arabic newspaper.
Quite a few Jewish teams known as out MPs for permitting Khatatba to attend, saying he has a historical past of selling antisemitism — a declare he denies.
Liberal MP Salma Zahid, who hosted the occasion, stated her workplace didn’t immediately invite Khatatba; quite, the invitation was circulated extensively within the native Palestinian neighborhood to develop the visitor listing, which ran to roughly 150 individuals.
“We are not able to research the history of every attendee that responded. As chair of the group, I will continue to be a voice for the human rights of the Palestinian people and for a just and fair two-state solution achieved at the negotiating table,” she stated in a media assertion.
“I have long been a voice against antisemitism, and all forms of discrimination based on faith.”
Jewish teams demanding solutions
B’nai Brith issued an announcement Friday calling for additional particulars about how Khatatba bought on the visitor listing.
“Zahid owes it to the public to better explain through what channels Khatatba gained access to the event on Parliament Hill. Zahid must commit her Friendship Group to end all association with those who distort the Holocaust and pursue antisemitic agendas,” the assertion reads. “If Zahid is unable to do the bare minimum and disavow Holocaust-distorting media attending her Friendship Group events, we consider her unqualified to serve as Chair.”
In 2017, Rogers TV dropped an Arabic-language program after B’nai Brith Canada drew consideration to an episode wherein Khatatba known as Jewish oppression a “fairy tale.”
In an announcement issued to CBC, Khatatba denied that he or Meshwar Media are antisemitic.
“We have the right to attend any event, especially if it is related to Palestine and the Middle East. We are not antisemitic, and we have never spoken badly about Jews in Canada or other countries. Rather, we criticize the Israeli occupation policy and stand by the Palestinian people,” he stated.
Khatatba stated the organizations who accuse him of being antisemitic are working to suppress freedom of opinion and expression in Canada associated to completely different views on the Middle East battle.
Other MPs who had been in attendance denounced Khatatba or tried to distance themselves from the occasion.
WATCH | Exchange in query interval over Khatatba’s attendance
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra defends attending an occasion at Parliament in an trade with Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman.
“Antisemitism is real and I will continue to call it out whenever I see it,” Transport Minister Omar Alghabra stated in an announcement posted on Twitter.
The NDP put out a blanket assertion saying not one of the social gathering’s MPs in attendance invited Khatatba.
“We continue to be allies in the fight against antisemitism,” the assertion stated.
NDP MP Niki Ashton attended the occasion. She got here below fireplace in 2017 after she was photographed at certainly one of her fundraising occasions with Khatatba. She subsequently rejected what she described as his undesirable help.
Conservative MP Larry Brock tweeted that he attended the occasion on the request of a constituent however wouldn’t have gone if he’d identified Khatatba could be there.
“I fully condemn antisemitism and reject these disgusting views. They have no place in Canadian society,” Brock stated.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, who was additionally in attendance, stated she did not have management over attendees and defended her personal attendance.
“I wholeheartedly denounce antisemitism but let me be clear once and for all – showing solidarity with Palestine isn’t antisemitism and neither is criticism of the state of Israel’s human rights record,” May stated in a media assertion.
Shimon Koffler Fogel, president of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), stated it’s “incomprehensible” that Khatatba was allowed to attend and steered time wasn’t taken for “simple due diligence.”
The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies stated Zahid’s response failed to indicate accountability and argued that each one company ought to have been completely vetted.
“It is disturbing that an individual with such a long history of promoting antisemitism could be invited to such an event,” Dan Panneton, the group’s director of neighborhood engagement, stated in a media assertion.
