B’NAI BRITH CANADA DEBUNKS PALESTINIAN PROPAGANDA

International human rights activist and noted legal authority proves charges against Israel are baseless

July 27, 2001

For Immediate Release

July 27, 2001… The Institute for International Affairs of B’nai Brith Canada announces the publication of a major legal analysis and response to the ugly anti-Zionist and anti-Jewish accusations that have been raised prior to the upcoming World Conference Against Racism (WCAR). As the third Preparatory Committee Meeting of the WCAR opens this week in Geneva, the Institute has just released Israel and the Palestinians: Myths and Realities, a paper that examines the legal validity of these accusations and effectively dispels them. This publication will be released simultaneously in Geneva at the Prep Com and will be distributed throughout Canada to Members of Parliament, Embassies and Consulates.

The author David Matas, an internationally respected human rights lawyer and activist, is not only Senior Legal Counsel for B’nai Brith Canada, but is also involved in many major human rights organizations worldwide. Israel and the Palestinians: Myths and Realities refutes such common criticisms as "Zionism is racism" and "the Israeli Law of Return is racist", and counters such premises as "United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194 recognizes the Palestinian right of return", and "the solution to Palestinian statelessness is Israeli nationality".

Rochelle Wilner, National President of B’nai Brith Canada, commented: “In the true mold of previous conferences designed to combat racism 3 and in the footsteps of practically all international meetings that have been held in recent years at the United Nations, its agencies and related international fora 3 Israel is currently the only country that has been singled out from amongst all the UN member states on specious charges of racism. David Matas’ publication proves just how baseless and mischievous these accusations really are.”

Frank Dimant, Executive Vice President, noted: “It is this week in Geneva that the true resolve of western governments will be tested in terms of preserving the integrity of the conference's original goals and mandate. Canada in particular has a special responsibility as the country that seconded the original motion to hold the conference. We hope David Matas’ years of experience in human rights activism, as reflected in this important publication, will provide a useful tool for countering current attempts to hijack the WCAR for political gain, a trend that cannot be tolerated by the free world.”

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The publication will be launched at a special lunchtime briefing with the author on Monday, July 30, 2001 at 12 noon at the B’nai Brith headquarters, 15, Hove Street, Toronto. Copies of the book are available at this event or by calling (416) 633-6224 ext. 140. In addition, the text can be accessed on the Internet at http://www.bnaibrith.ca/institute/articles/dm010730.html.

For further details or comment contact Ruth Klein in Toronto at (416) 6336224