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MP David Sweet Speaks about Jews From Arab Lands in House of Commons

On Nov. 30, 2016, Member of Parliament David Sweet spoke in the House of Commons about the exodus of Jewish refugees from Arab lands following Israel’s independence day in 1948.

Sweet cited B’nai Brith Canada’s week-long campaign  to acknowledge these courageous Jews and affirmed the Canadian government’s commitment to fighting all forms of antisemitism in Canada and abroad.

We thank Mr. Sweet for his strong sentiments.

To view our entire playlist of interviews that feature stories of Jews from Arab lands, click here or view below:

You can also read all five parts of our series below:

Here is a full transcript of Mr. Sweet’s statement:

” Mr. Speaker, each year in Israel, November 30 is set aside to commemorate the plight of the more than one million Jews who were driven from their homes across the Middle East as a result of religious persecution between the 1940s and 1970s.

     Following the establishment of the state of Israel, anti-Jewish sentiment and systemic violence dramatically increased, forcing far too many families to flee their homes.

     I am proud to share with the House that B’nai Brith Canada, along with several community partners, has launched a week-long campaign to remind us of the suffering of these Jewish refugees, and is looking to mark November 30 in Canada officially to honour them.

    Today is November 30. With the stories and memories of Jewish refugees in our thoughts, I can assure the Jewish community of this: I, and my colleagues, will not tolerate, in fact, we will fight against, anti-Semitism in all of its forms, here in Canada and abroad.”