Dear all friends and supporters of Palestine,
On Wednesday, Nov. 16, the Vancouver City Council -- over the eloquent objections of the vast majority of speakers, in addition to over 1,400 letter writers -- adopted the so-called "IHRA definition of anti-Semitism."
Following the event, ABC officials, including Mayor Ken Sim and Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung, posed for photos with representatives of CIJA, the Israel lobby organization that has avidly pushed for the IHRA definition -- at the same time that it demands the criminalization of Palestine solidarity organizations like Samidoun.
The adoption of the IHRA definition is not a defense of Jews in Vancouver. It is a declaration of anti-Palestinian racism and an attempt to prevent people from even naming Zionism as an oppressive, racist ideology.
When Samidoun's international coordinator Charlotte Kates, based in Vancouver, began addressing the council with the phrase "Israel is a racist endeavour" -- one of the IHRA's notorious "examples" that make clear that the purpose of this definition is to silence anti-Zionism, not anti-Semitism, the city councillor moderating the session interrupted her and told her that this was unacceptable, "uncivil" language, and that "people and states should not be called racist."
This is exactly why we need to fight back against the IHRA and the attempt to suppress organizing and action for Palestine. It is clear where the sentiment of the people lies -- the vast majority of speakers urged a NO vote on the IHRA definition. Palestinians, Jews, anti-racist speakers from all walks of life spent their time to speak for 8 hours to the city council about why IHRA is such a reactionary, repressive action -- only for the council to link arms with CIJA rather than the grassroots residents of Vancouver.
Join us tomorrow night -- Monday, Nov. 21 -- for a discussion of the NEXT STEPS FOR THE PALESTINE MOVEMENT -- including preventing IHRA from spreading to other local municipalities and institutions. Check below for details -- and join us to make our movement bigger and stronger!
Salutes to all who have already joined in the struggle. Your voices have been heard, and we can only build on this important work.
Thank you and solidarity,
Samidoun Vancouver