Leading Jewish group calls on Montreal to reject ‘dishonest’ motion to cut ties with Israel

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Meanwhile, Projet Montréal leader Ericka Alneus said in an interview with Montreal Gazette that the motion is in line with positions the city has taken in the past, such as when it denounced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the South African apartheid.

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“This is an important message that we are putting in the motion: That we’re against antisemitism, that we’re against Islamophobia — any kind of discrimination and racism,” she said.

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However, B’Nai Brith counters in the open letter that Projet Montréal is being “deceitful and inflammatory” in conflating Israel with Apartheid South Africa as part of the motion, pointing out that “Canada has rejected the view that Israel’s actions constitute apartheid.”

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Meanwhile, it reads, “The war in the Middle East is highly polarizing, impacting Jewish Canadians, Israelis, Palestinians, Muslims, Iranians, and others who call this city their home.”

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It adds that “all have powerful emotions and beliefs about what has happened during the past three years,” and that “Montreal must be a place for each and every one of us.”

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The letter goes on to highlight the correlation between conflict in the Middle East and increases in antisemitism. Data from Statistics Canada and previously reported on by National Post showed that incidents targeting Jewish people peaked at 959 in 2023, the same year as the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. And last year’s 788 incidents was still 60 per cent higher than the 492 police reported in 2021.

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Samuel tells National Post that while the Jewish community in Montreal and in Canada is “extremely resilient and extremely proud to be Canadian, to be Quebecer, to be Montrealer,” there is a lot of concern within the community.

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“The community feels vulnerable…You don’t feel unsafe every day walking down the street, but you do feel like you have to be careful who you talk to and if you’re gonna be honest about how you feel.”

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“Jewish people are, as has been well-documented in numerous surveys, reporting significant hostility and hate related to the conflict overseas,” B’nai Brith’s open letter reads. “If passed, Projet Montréal’s proposed motion would further normalize the targeting of our Jewish community.”

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It concludes by accusing Projet Montréal of introducing “a policy of division, anger, and no substance.”

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Meanwhile, The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs has also criticized the motion, accusing Projet Montréal of “sowing division and importing a foreign conflict into municipal politics” in a statement on Tuesday.

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“In a climate that is already toxic, including arson attacks on synagogues, the hanging of a Jewish effigy in our streets, and violent assaults on community members, this declaration only adds fuel to the fire,” they said, calling on individuals to demand the withdrawal or rejection of Projet Montréal’s motion.

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