Amnesty International: Israel’s
apartheid against Palestinians: a cruel system of domination and a crime against humanity
Human Rights Watch: A
Threshold Crossed -- Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution
Jewish Currents: A
Textbook Case of Genocide -- Israel has been explicit about what it’s carrying out in Gaza. Why isn’t the world listening?
Anti-Zionism ≠ Anti-Semitism
Best regards, Gerardo
From: David Freeman <david_freeman@sfu.ca>
Date: Saturday, 2December 2023 at 10:41 PM
To: Gerardo Otero <otero@sfu.ca>, "academic-discussion@sfu.ca" <academic-discussion@sfu.ca>
Subject: Re: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023
Gerardo,
You sent an anti-Israel e-mail to the group on Nov 9, on the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht. The e-mail referenced (in an uncreative way) the classic antisemitic “Jews as powerful” trope in saying
“the U.S. state is acting as Netanyahu’s poodle”. It also contained some inaccuracies/exaggerations in the direction of the classic “Jews as powerful” trope, classic economics/political antisemitism. The entirety of the message, as criticism of Israel, passes
the 3D test for when criticism of Israel is “antisemitism hidden behind a façade of anti-Zionism” (quote:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Ds_of_antisemitism).
Following your Kristallnacht e-mail, you sent a separate e-mail to the group about a group that vandalized Indigo, which was targeted because some aspect the Jewish CEO’s ties to. You termed “tremendous abuse
of police power in Toronto against a professor engaged in protest.” I reasonably interpreted that as condoning and supporting the vandalism (which you have subsequently cleared up), and opposing the use of police to prosecute and prevent such vandalism.
(Those who are unaware of the history and details of Kristallnacht can check the USHMM write-up).
You did so in the midst of a spike in hate crimes against Jews here in Canada. In the recent stats for 2021, Jews and Blacks were the two groups most targeted for hate crimes in Canada, each targeted far more
than other groups, and Jews were the most intensively targeted relative to population (~1% of Canadians are Jewish). I know many people who have stopped going to community events or showing visible signs of their identify out of fear for their physical safety.
I honestly am coming to expect to see myself or someone I know violently attacked or killed in a pogrom here in Canada if the trend continues.
We are still in the aftermath of the largest targeted massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, led by an organization (Hamas) that is as ideologically committed to eliminating the world’s Jews as the Nazi Party was.
Just look up Hamas’ founding charter, or Ghazi Hamad’s recent interview where he stated on behalf of Hamas that “we will repeat the October 7 attack, time and again, until Israel is annihilated”. And look up their call for "global mobilization", and the cheers
of celebration we saw immediately following their attacks here in Vancouver.
The most charitable interpretation I can give is that you have some classically antisemitic beliefs and attitudes, are an anti-Zionist, and have a complete lack of awareness of or sensitivity to the mainstream
Canadian and Israeli Jewish perspectives. I found the less charitable and more sinister interpretation reasonable given the context.
Even under the charitable interpretation, I find anti-Zionism hateful regardless of whether you wish to term it a form of antisemitism or something else, I’m not the only one (https://nationalpost.com/opinion/anti-zionism-is-antisemitism-in-sheeps-clothing,
https://nationalpost.com/opinion/bret-stephens-yes-anti-zionism-is-anti-semitism,
https://forward.com/opinion/151360/judea-pearl-anti-zionism-is-racism/). That's a longer discussion and there's no point in us having it unless you first re-evaluate the classical antisemitism that your e-mail demonstrated.
Baharak’s views have been documented quite publicly.
https://twitter.com/jonkay/status/1721055951686451414
If the first tweet doesn’t speak for itself as hateful, imagine putting in “movement for developing and protecting [insert your choice of nation-state, state itself, not the government at the time]” in place of
“Zionism”, and try again.
The retweet celebrating October 7 is pretty obvious to me. If it isn’t to you, imagine an analogous tweet celebrating September 11, 2001.
Other people have turned around from holding hateful views, like Mosab Hassan Yousef, son of a Hamas founder, so there's still hope.
David Freeman
References to hate crime statistics
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-jewish-communities-in-canada-shaken-by-spike-in-hate-incidents-since/
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-627-m/11-627-m2023026-eng.htm
Further example of Gerardo's factual exaggeration:
And the person who Gerardo referenced who talked about using nuclear weapons was immediately and broadly denounced and kicked out of his minor cabinet post; he's from a fringe party.
From: Gerardo Otero <otero@sfu.ca>
Sent: December 1, 2023 5:13:08 PM
To: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: Re: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023
David Freeman: Your claim that Baharak and I “hold and promote hateful views” is decidedly not measured. Do you have any evidence to substantiate such defamatory
accusation?
For me, the main point of sharing The Globe and Mail article last week was to highlight what I considered to be an obviously disproportionate use of police force
against an act of protest. Whether one agrees or not with engaging in such acts of direct action is more or less beside the point. Personally, I would not have engaged in such action nor do I condone it. But can it justify police brutality?
For those of you who have "X" have a listen to sociologist Luin Goldring reading some of her colleague Lesley Wood's testimony at a rally at YorkU.
(Actually the link may still work without an X acct.)
Remember: Toronto Police stormed her home at 5:30 am last week and she is still suspended from her work at the university:
https://twitter.com/camilapress/status/1729823879714013387?s=20
Best regards, Gerardo
__
Gerardo Otero
Professor and Graduate Chair
School of International Studies
Simon Fraser University
7200-515 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC Canada V6B 5K3
Website: http://www.sfu.ca/people/otero.html
Gerardo’s YouTube Channel
I thankfully acknowledge that I live and work in unceded traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and Kwikwetlem Nations.
From: Nicholas Blomley <nicholas_blomley@sfu.ca>
Date: Friday, December 1, 2023 at 4:16 PM
To: Behraad Bahreyni <bba19@sfu.ca>
Cc: David Freeman <david_freeman@sfu.ca>, James Fleming <james_fleming@sfu.ca>, Tony Power <power@sfu.ca>, Leanna Jantzi <leanna_jantzi@sfu.ca>, Rachel Altman <rachel_altman@sfu.ca>, Baharak Yousefi <byousefi@sfu.ca>, Gerardo Otero <otero@sfu.ca>, "academic-discussion@sfu.ca"
<academic-discussion@sfu.ca>
Subject: Re: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023
Thank you, Behraad, for your measured response.
Accusations that colleagues have "hateful views" does not seem to me to be measured.
On Dec 1, 2023, at 9:15 AM, Behraad Bahreyni <bba19@sfu.ca> wrote:
Thank you David for your note.
Emotion-motivated actions and political views are laden with human feelings, contexts, cultural, and historical weight. Most such discussions bring up strong emotions (and valid concerns and viewpoints) but do not end with a definitive
conclusion. Considering that this forum is meant to provide a framework for sharing and debating viewpoints, it is important to be mindful that the intent behind sharing articles or viewpoints may not be to endorse them in whole or in part. The complexities
of issues like the point of discussion below make it more important that the forum is used to provide viewpoints rather than draw conclusions.
I cannot recall an argument about political/religious/cultural/social issues where at the end one party changed its position. However, the audience (or participants) without formed opinions have a chance to listen to two opposing views
and make their own judgements. To that end, it is important to keep the discussions respectful and allow for the presentation of different perspectives, especially in our community, which is blessed with academic freedom principles.
I apologize if in naming you, I insinuated something about you or your views that was not warranted. It was Baharak, not you, who forwarded the article that indicted that Heather Reisman’s association with CIJA was an
additional reason for targeting Indigo.
To answer your points 1-3:
Gerardo started this thread by supporting the Indigo vandalism as “protest” and calling police enforcement of Canada’s laws against the suspects a “tremendous abuse of police power”. Baharak posted and endorsed
a letter that justified the actions as targeting Indigo due to its Jewish CEO, Heather Reisman, supporting HESEG (which has no operational link to the IDF) and CIJA. Her message and Gerardo’s were written to support the notion that some Jewish people or their
associated businesses are worthy of targeting for vandalism if their association with or support for Israel meets some unspecified criteria.
The e-mail chain occurs in the context of the ongoing targeting of Jewish high schools, community centres, a synagogue, businesses, and individual Jews here in Canada for attacks, vandalism, and harassment. All targeting a tiny Canadian
Jewish community. Many faculty decided to openly support at least one of these instances of vandalism while being silent about the others. And us Jews have seen, at multiple times in history, how this can evolve in ways that prevent us Jews from living reasonable
lives while identifying as Jewish.
Zooming out from the issue framing Gerardo started with, the horrifying number of deaths and the destruction in Gaza is a direct consequence of the decisions of Hamas and their allies to intentionally use civilian areas for cover. If Hamas,
PIJ, PFLP, and DFLP had put down their weapons on October 6, none of this would have happened. That so many of our faculty members assign primary moral blame to Israel in a war it did not start or want illustrates the depth of hateful anti-Zionism and antisemitism
here at SFU.
Academic freedom may grant Gerardo and Baharak the right to hold and promote hateful views. But it grants the rest of us the right to call them what they are.
From: Behraad Bahreyni
Sent: November 30, 2023 8:26:13 AM
To: David Freeman; James Fleming; power@sfu.ca; Leanna Jantzi; Rachel Altman; Baharak Yousefi; Gerardo Otero
Cc: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: RE: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023
David,
Since you have named people specifically with some troubling insinuations, I think a direct answer is needed.
-
No one in this conversation has suggested that you or anyone else should be targeted for their beliefs or affiliations. Such assertions are baseless and distract from the focus of our discussion. Singling out individuals and putting them on the spot would likely
result in silencing rather than encouraging an open discussion.
-
Regarding your point about targeting Jews specifically, no one on this thread, has implied that any Jewish individual, including yourself, is "worthy of targeting." Such a notion is not only baseless but also offensive.
-
Regarding Heather's affiliations, her involvement with HESEG, which you overlooked, seems more pertinent to the event than her non-leadership role at CIJA, which you sometimes support. Oversimplifying or redirecting the conversation undermines the discussion.
Lastly, I find it troubling that these discussions are framed as a binary choice of 'with us or against us'. This prevents a healthy exchange of ideas, which is important in a forum like this.
Gerardo, Baharak, et al:
The statement attached to Baharak’s e-mail uses Heather Reisman’s past support of CIJA as a justification for targeting her. Heather is not on the Board and has no other public leadership
role at CIJA.
CIJA is a mainstream Jewish advocacy organization. I generally support CIJA (with the occasional minor caveat or disagreement).
Baharak, Gerardo, Leanna, and Behraad: should I also be a target?
Heather is a prominent member of the same large Reform synagogue in Toronto I went to growing up (though we haven't met personally). The lead rabbi there consistently speaks in favour of
a two-state solution and teaches us to care about the lives of both Israelis and Palestinians. This is the type of Jew you deem worthy of targeting.
David Freeman
From: James Fleming <james_fleming@sfu.ca>
Sent: November 29, 2023 6:43:25 PM
To: Behraad Bahreyni; power@sfu.ca; Leanna Jantzi; Rachel Altman; Baharak Yousefi; Gerardo Otero
Cc: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: Re: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023
In my judgment, since you ask (rather than answering), it is manifest that the attack on the NYPL occurred solely because its building has a Jewish name on the side, and was associated
with Israel on exactly that basis, and no other, by the attackers. And in my judgment the attack on Indigo occurred for exactly the same appalling reason. JDF
James Dougal Fleming
Professor, Department of English
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby/Vancouver,
British Columbia,
Canada.
The truth is an offence, but not a sin.
-- Bob Marley
From: Behraad Bahreyni
Sent: November 29, 2023 6:31:25 PM
To: James Fleming; power@sfu.ca; Leanna Jantzi; Rachel Altman; Baharak Yousefi; Gerardo Otero
Cc: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: RE: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023
I do not know James. Please use your information and judgment to see if in your opinion the event was motivated by actions of Israel or actions of jews. The two are not the
same.
Does the same analysis hold for the recent vandalism at the main branch of the New York Public Library (now named after donor Steven Schwartzmann)?
James Dougal Fleming
Professor, Department of English
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby/Vancouver,
British Columbia,
Canada.
The truth is an offence, but not a sin.
-- Bob Marley
From: Behraad Bahreyni
Sent: November 29, 2023 6:20:53 PM
To: power@sfu.ca; James Fleming; Leanna Jantzi; Rachel Altman; Baharak Yousefi; Gerardo Otero
Cc: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: RE: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023
In your example, the event would likely be hate-motivated, possibly targeting Islam. However, in the actual story, the CEO (not a religious leader) of Indigo (not a sinagog) was targeted, likely because
of their support for Israel (not being jews).
If in the night a Toronto mosque were spattered with 'blood' and had posters attacking its imam plastered over it should we not agree that this is a regrettable act of hateful lslamophobic vandalism whatever
the beliefs of the imam? And that charges are merited? If suspects are identified and arrested and we sympathize with their politics should we gloss it over in order to support them with critiques of the police and the charges and the imam and his politics/religion?
From: James Fleming <james_fleming@sfu.ca>
Sent: November 29, 2023 6:10 PM
To: Leanna Jantzi; Rachel Altman; Baharak Yousefi; Gerardo Otero
Cc: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: Re: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023
1. "Targetting Israel is not anti-Semitic."
2. "Rich Canadian Jews are Israeli targets."
Pick a lane. JDF
From: Leanna Jantzi <leanna_jantzi@sfu.ca>
Sent: November 29, 2023 6:03:51 PM
To: Rachel Altman; Baharak Yousefi; Gerardo Otero
Cc: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: RE: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023
It's interesting to note that the JFN's launch event (link shared below) was a "press conference in support of the recent motion of the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) challenging the
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism (IHRA)."
For further context (and to offer an example of a national organization that does not support the IHRA definition) here’s information from CAUT's
2021 Council, where "Council delegates unanimously passed a resolution to oppose the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Working Definition of Antisemitism (IHRA) at Canadian universities and colleges, citing threats to academic
freedom on Canadian campuses" and an editorial posted on CAUT's website.
I think the JFN’s letter provides a very helpful and thoughtful voice to the reasons why the protest at the Indigo store is not a hate-motivated crime; rather it is a protest against the actions of the
State of Israel and the CEO of Indigo’s sponsorship of the Lone Soldier Program. Being charged with vandalism may be a risk that protestors accept. Charging
protestors with a “hate motivated” crime and breaking into their homes to make arrests – that I find unconscionable.
Leanna
I, for one, am really tired of the (ab)use of the views of a small proportion of Jews to justify antisemitism and the demonization of Israel. IHRA is very widely accepted in Jewish circles, which is why
so many countries, organizations,
regions (including the city of Vancouver) and have adopted it. To deny this fact is to deny Jews' understanding of and experience with antisemitism.
And holding up this letter -- or statements from fringe groups such as Independent Jewish Voices -- as evidence that this crime (yes, vandalism is a crime, not a peaceful protest!) was justified is, frankly, unconscionable.
Rachel
From: Baharak Yousefi <byousefi@sfu.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2023 3:45:07 PM
To: Gerardo Otero
Cc: academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: Re: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023
Dear Gerardo,
I thought you may be interested in the attached letter sent by the Jewish Faculty Network to
Mayor Olivia Chow and others.
Apologies for the JPEG format. I am sharing it from this Twitter/X post.
While this particular letter is signed collectively, over 170 Jewish scholars from across the country signed the Network's 2021 statement against the IHRA definition of antisemitism. You can see their names here:
https://jewishfaculty.ca/jewish-faculty-against-the-ihra-defn/
And a link to JFN's launch event for anyone interested
in learning more.
All best,
Baharak
From: Gerardo Otero <otero@sfu.ca>
Sent: November 25, 2023 9:15 AM
To: Politics, Institutions and Development; Politics, Institutions and Development; Umer Hussain; academic-discussion@sfu.ca
Subject: York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism (The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)), Nov 25, 2023
Among other things, this article tells the story of tremendous abuse of police power in Toronto against a professor engaged in protest.
York professor among those charged in Indigo store vandalism
SEAN FINE JUSTICE WRITER
The Globe and Mail (BC Edition)
Nov 25, 2023
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