MPP Gila Martow condemns “vicious antisemitic” project by Mississauga students

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MPP Gila Martow. Photo: Ontario Legislature video – screenshot

On April 15, 2019 Gila Martow, Thornhill Member of the Provincial Parliament of Ontario, posted:

“I was shocked to learn from CIJA that a program at Stephen Lewis Secondary School promoted the libel that Israelis harvest Palestinian organs and conduct “human testing” of pharmaceuticals on Palestinians! Today I rose in the Legislature to call on the Peel District School Board to stop antisemtic hate and protect impressionable students.”

Here is the transcript of Gila Martow’s statement in Ontario Legislature:

“Just the last couple of days I was shocked to learn from the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs [CIJA) that a program at Stephen Lewis secondary school in Mississauga promoted the libel that Israelis harvest Palestinian organs and conduct, and I’m quoting, human testing of pharmaceuticals on Palestinians. These are more than offensive lies. They are contemporary manifestations of a vicious antisemitic trope used to justify persecution of violence against Jews for centuries. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism, the most widely used around the world right now is clear. It is antisemitic to use the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism like blood libel to characterize Israel or Israelis. That this is reportedly happen in a school in our province [Ontario], where impressionable minds are being shaped makes, it even more distressing. According to Statistics Canada, an antisemitic hate crime occurred on average once every 24 hours in 2017 and that is up 60% from 2016. When it comes to hate crime Jewish Canadians remain the most frequently targeted group. Mr. speaker how we respond to incidents of this kind defines us as a society. The Peel District School Board [PDSB] is investigating, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs [CIJA] has offered to provide training and an entire community is waiting for answers. We look forward to hearing what concrete action will be taken to hold those responsible to account and to ensure the shameful episode is turned into an impactful learning opportunity about antisemitic hate.”