Meir Weinstein, National Director, Jewish Defense League of Canada sent the following email to Mamdouh Shoukri, President and Vice-Chancellor of York University. Note the strong support of the Stephen Harper Government for Israel and the Jewish community in Canada.
From: Meir Weinstein
To: Mamdouh Shoukri (mshoukri@yorku.ca)
It has come to my attention that York University will be hosting a conference in June which will focus on Israel. The official website that promotes the conference states the following, ” Israel/Palestine: One State or Two? is co-sponsored by Queen’s University and York University, and is an official U50 initiative, part of York University’s 50th Anniversary celebrations.”
Please be advised that many York University Students have received threats and feel scared as a result of anti Jewish/Israel activities on campus. Racism should have no place on campus. And this conference will only serve to encourage a negative perception of Jews.
You have recently stated, “Universities at their core are free institutions that must be open to the widest range of ideas, arguments and debates. Thus the concept of an academic boycott, which would prescribe a form of blacklist, is antithetical to the very purpose of a university. It would undermine the freedom of individual scholars to make their own academic choices, and would suggest that the university ‘owns’ its academics or their opinions. In fact, it would be contrary to the very purpose of the university to dictate those with whom its scholars may or may not associate. On this basis, York University has consistently opposed the call to boycott Israeli universities…”
I would like to provide you with some background information of members of the “Advisory Board” for the International Conference that York University is sponsoring.
Ali Abunimah, Islah Jad,Dorit Namaan, Meron Benvenisti, David Kretzmer, John B. Quigley, Leila Farsakh, Ian Lustick, Sammy Smooha, Daphna Golan-Agnon, Elia Zureik
Below, please open the links for Ali Abunimah, Islah Jad, Dorit Namaan and Leila Farsakh for starters. These people are leaders in the campaign that calls for an Academic Boycott.
Israel Apartheid Week Toronto – March 1st to 8th, 2009 | Toronto
Leila Farsakh is assistant professor in political science at University of … He is currently involved with the Boycott Israeli Apartheid Campaign in …
toronto.apartheidweek.org/toronto2009 – Cached – Similar pages -BRICUP Jewish Canadians Concerned about Suppression of Criticism …
16 Mar 2009 … We believe this serves to deflect attention from Israel’s flagrant violations of … Dorit Naaman Joanne Naiman Neil Naiman Michael Neumann …
www.bricup.org.uk/documents/world_news/CanadianConcern.html -The Kingston Whig-Standard | August 23, 2007
Queen’s principal too quick to take sides on academic boycottQueen’s University Principal Karen Hitchcock’s unilateralism in endorsing a campaign waged by pro-Israel groups and some American universities to oppose a proposed boycott of Israeli universities is a mistake. It contradicts the values of academic freedom that she is so much concerned about…..
USACBI | January 27, 2009
International Writers and Scholars Endorse Academic Boycott of IsraelWe stand in support of the indigenous Palestinian people in Gaza, who are fighting for their survival against one of the most brutal uses of state power in both this century and the last…..
Last Friday, June 5, a strong Statement was issued from the Hon. M.P. Gary Goodyear about the conference:
Statement from the Hon. Gary Goodyear
OTTAWA, June 5, 2009 – The following is a statement from the Hon. Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology, on the conference at York University entitled, “Israel/Palestine: mapping models of statehood and prospects for peace”.
“Our government is committed to the principle of academic independence and the independent, arms-length, peer review process for assessing applications for research grants.
“It has come to my attention that following a recommendation of a peer review board earlier this year, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council provided $19,750 under its Aid to Research Workshops and Conferences Program to a conference at York University entitled “Israel/Palestine: mapping models of statehood and prospects for peace”.
“Approval of this funding was based on an initial proposal that did not include detailed information on the speakers at the conference. Since funding was provided, the organizers of the conference have added a number of speakers to their agenda.
“Several individuals and organizations have expressed their grave concerns that some of the speakers have, in the past, made comments that have been seen to be anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic. Some have also expressed concerns that the event is no longer an academic research-focussed event.
“Therefore, I have spoken to the president of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council to bring these concerns to his immediate attention and asked that Council give them full consideration. In particular, I asked that the Council, once they have seen this information, to consider conducting a second peer review of the application to determine whether or not the conference still meets SSHRC’s criteria for funding of an academic conference.”
For further information:
Christine Albee
Press Secretary
Office of the Hon. Gary Goodyear
613-762-7891
It is vital that York University withdraw their sponsorship of this conference. Please, take the right action.
Thank you,
Meir Weinstein, National Director, Jewish Defence League of Canada
