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Labour for Palestine is pleased to announce the second issue of Jafa - Labour Bulletin in Solidarity with Palestine.
This second issue has a special focus on Israel's war on Gaza. We reprint a range of solidarity resolutions that were passed by unions around the world, analysis of the aftermath, and discussion around next steps for labour solidarity. We also launch a new section, *Histadrut Watch*, which will monitor the activities of Israel's racist trade union federation. We encourage you to order a bundle for your workplace and trade union office or to download the first two issues at http://www.caiaweb.org/labourcommitteeWe would also love to receive your opinions, stories and contributions for the next issue! For more information or to order a bundle of Jafa, please contact labour@caiaweb.org
In yet another desperate move to curtail freedom of expression, on May 11, Thornhill MPP Peter Shurman filed a motion in the Ontario legislature condemning the use of the term “Israeli Apartheid Week”. The motion is coming to a vote on Monday May 25. Motion #93 (a private members motion) reads: “In the opinion of this House the term Israel Apartheid Week is condemned as it serves to incite hatred against Israel, a democratic state that respects the rule of law and human rights, and the use of the word ‘apartheid’ in this context diminishes the suffering of those who were victims of a true apartheid regime in South Africa.” A vote for this resolution is a vote against freedom of expression. In a supposedly ‘free society’ people have a right to factually argue about whether Israel is an Apartheid state or not. People also have a right to organize Israeli Apartheid Week and other events that are critical of Israel or any other nation-state. The job of MPPs is not to ban events and terms simply because they disagree with them. Supporters of Israel have many opportunities to engage in debates about the use of the term Israeli Apartheid. Attempting to suppress discussion of the issue through motions such as the one before the house clearly illustrates that they are all too aware of the weakness of their position and are very afraid of this debate. ** Call or Email YOUR MPP TODAY – ASK THEM TO VOTE AGAINST THIS MOTION ** Contact info for your MPP is available at this link:http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_current.do?locale=enSample Letter to Email / Talking Points: Dear (Name of Your MPP): I’m writing to ask you to vote against Motion #93, to be discussed on Monday May 25, 2009 that calls for the condemnation of Israeli Apartheid Week. This motion was filed by Thornhill MPP Peter Shurman. Israeli Apartheid Week is an annual series of lectures held on university campuses in Toronto and many cities around the world. Attempting to suppress discussion of Israel through motions such as the one before the house is not consistent with a society which respects freedom of expression. Supporters of Israel have many opportunities to put forward their facts and arguments to dispute the use of the term Israeli apartheid. If Israel is not an Apartheid state, the facts should stand for themselves and there is no need for the provincial government to suppress the use of the term Israeli Apartheid. There are very specific political, legal and moral arguments about whether Israel is an apartheid state or not. You may agree or disagree with them, but MPP’s should not be in the business of curtailing debate and banning discussion. You have an obligation to protect freedom of expression, even if the views put forward are ones you disagree with. On that note, I ask you to vote against this motion and encourage you to set a meeting with organizers of Israeli Apartheid Week to hear their views and understand the issues they raise. Yours Sincerely,
"Canada’s close links to Israel, and support for its illegal occupation of Palestine are well known. But the recent assault on Gaza, fully backed by the Harper government, exposed the real meaning of this connection. Hear KOLE KILIBARDA explain the military and industrial links and YVES ENGLER describe the political context of the Israel/Canada connection."ISRAEL AND CANADA: MILITARY AND POLITICAL CONNECTIONS Friday, May 15 7:30 PMRoom 5-250Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE)University of Toronto 252 Bloor Street West (at St. George subway)Speakers:Kole Kilibarda – author, “Canadian and Israeli Defense-Industrial and Homeland Security Ties” (2009), a report for The New Transparency: Surveillance and Social Sorting research project; and Organizer with Coalition Against Israeli ApartheidYves Engler – author, The Black Book of Canadian Foreign Policy; and Canada in Haiti: Waging War on the Poor Majority (with Anthony Fenton)Discussant: Jason KuninModerator: b.h. Yael
