World Social Forum’s Antisemitic Workshop Cancelled After Canadian Government Steps In

The World Social Forum – being held in Montreal this year – is “the largest gathering of civil society to find solutions to the problems of our time.”

According to the website, the goal of the WSF 2016 is “to gather tens of thousands of people from groups in civil society, organizations and social movements who want to build a sustainable and inclusive world, where every person and every people has its place and can make its voice heard.

Except apparently Jews, ehh, I mean Zionists.

The federal government has distanced itself from a major international gathering opening Tuesday in Montreal following complaints that its programming included anti-Semitic content.

The World Social Forum, expected to draw more than 10,000 participants, was told last week to remove the Canadian government logo from its list of partners after two Liberal MPs expressed disgust over what they called a “blatantly anti-Semitic cartoon” on the event’s website.

MPs Anthony Housefather, representing the Montreal riding of Mount Royal, and Michael Levitt, representing the Toronto riding of York Centre, also took exception to the World Social Forum’s heavy emphasis on the anti-Israel BDS movement.

“The Prime Minister, the Government of Canada, and the Canadian Parliament have been very clear that we oppose the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and that anti-Semitism is never acceptable,” the MPs said in a statement.

Forum organizers cancelled a session that had been scheduled to show how Islamist terrorists are “in the service of world Zionism-capitalism.” The page for the event had featured a cartoon of a hook-nosed orthodox Jew with a Star of David on his hat, a drawing that Reuben Poupko, co-chairman of Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) Quebec, said was “not so different from those that appeared in Nazi papers.”

Housefather said the federal government did not provide a grant to the Forum, but it did subsidize the employment of two students working with the organization. He said there is no reason for the Forum to obsess over Israel when there are many other pressing problems facing the world.

“Why is Israel the only country constantly singled out? Why are they not concerned about human rights in North Korea, or Iran or Syria?” heasked. “Somehow boycotting the most democratic country in the Middle East is what they’re focusing on, and it’s really unfortunate.”

Along with eco-responsibility, accessibility and security, the Forum has identified “non-apartheid” as one of its four key commitments, promising to censor pro-Israel viewpoints. “We have already taken a stand to exclude all people, organizations or activities that promote any kind of oppression, supporting Palestinians and all the people struggling for their emancipation and freedom,” its website says. An accompanying document advises the boycott of academics, artists and products it links to “Israeli apartheid.” The CIJA has identified 28 separate events that it says target Israel. Two of the event’s 21 major sessions deal with “Israeli apartheid.”

Here’s the graphic in question.

World-Social-Forum-Photo-screenshot

Besides being a nice crutch to blame all Islamic terrorism on Jews, that’s one hell of an antisemitic cartoon.

The background information of the workshop was as follows:

“Islam is the religion of mercy and civilization. Islamic culture alien to Wahhabi fundamentalism terrorists. They are mercenaries of Saudi in the service of world Zionism-capitalism. They cooperate for Islamophobia by demonizaton of Islamic spirituality. They cooperate for misrepresentation, by accuse Palestinian freedom fighters by terrorism and legitimization crimes of fundamentalist regime in Israel.”

And what better way to show “Islamophobia” than by purveying hideous Jew hatred. Ingenious!

The workshop has since been purged from the website, much to Mousavi’s rage.

mousavi comment

Yes, that says Center of religious dialogue for peaceful coexistence.

This whole thing reads like a bad joke. Until you realize there are so many people holding these views. I am sure had the Canadian government not become involved, the antisemitic workshop would have been held. Heck, I am sure it will be held elsewhere, at a different time and place.

I posit that if Mousavi and others like him truly want to reduce “Islamophobia”, they tackle Islamic terrorism which is the sole province of Islamic terrorists – like those palestinian terrorists he lauds as freedom fighters – and is making many people afraid of Islam and Muslims – even those not involved. A phobia is defined as “an excessive and irrational fear reaction.” I’d argue there us nothing excessive or irrational about this fear.

And Israel is not behind this terrorism – it is right on the front lines fighting it.

3 thoughts on “World Social Forum’s Antisemitic Workshop Cancelled After Canadian Government Steps In”

  1. Among more things than I have the time or stomach to point out after only one cup of coffee, notice the statement: “Islam is the religion of mercy and civilization.” “The,” not “a.” The implication about all the other religions is obvious. WHY CAN’T THE WORLD RECOGNIZE UNBRIDLED IMPERIALISM WHEN IT’S STARING US IN THE FACE?!!!

    Enough. Allow me to recommend an exciting novel to everyone here – and it’s free!
    http://www.baen.com/caliphate.html

  2. ahad_ha_amoratsim

    Summed it up perfectly (and the alt.right, too): “like a bad joke. Until you realize there are so many people holding these views.”

  3. As far as I recall (feel free to correct me if I am wrong), but only the JDL alerted about this ‘event’ and planned a protest… mainstream Jewish groups called to ignore it so as not to draw attention to it.

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