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PETITION: Demand Rescinding of Antisemitic Resolution by Canadian Federation of Students

Nov. 20, 2018

On Friday, Nov. 15, 2018, the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS), representing some 530,000 Canadian university students across Canada, voted to endorse the antisemitic boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement, and has even pledged to provide in-kind support and funds up to a maximum of $500 dollars towards organizations engaged in BDS activism.

This shameful decision, which in no way reflects the views of the broad majority of Canadian students, coupled with the abuse of funds to support the antisemitic discrimination of Jewish students, must be condemned and challenged by all Canadians of good conscience.

BDS supporters have publicly and shamelessly called for the destruction of the State of Israel, promoted Holocaust Denial and absurd comparisons between Israeli policy and that of Nazi Germany, applied double standards to the State of Israel not applied to any other country in the world, and have also charged Jews with greater allegiance to Israel than their countries of citizenship, while also holding Jews collectively responsible for the actions of the Israeli government.

All of these antisemitic actions, in accordance with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, are part and parcel of BDS advocacy, a movement which has been resolutely condemned by our House of Commons.

We therefore call on the Canadian Federation of Students to immediately rescind this resolution, which should not have been tabled in the first place, as it is inherently antisemitic and discriminatory on the basis of national origin, and also violates the CFS’s own policy on discrimination based on “place of origin, ethnicity, or citizenship.”

The CFS must make itself inclusive for all students regardless of national origin, rather than support the regressive forces that oppose peace and advocate for discrimination against only Israelis and Jews.

Sincerely,