Statement on Call for Murder of Israelis at Al-Quds Day Protest

OTTAWA, Aug. 5, 2013 /CNW/ - On Saturday, the annual Al-Quds Day protest in downtown Toronto included a speaker, reportedly identified as Elias Hazineh - former President of Palestine House, who called for the murder of Israelis.

Video footage appears to show Hazineh declaring: "We have to give them an ultimatum. You have to leave Jerusalem. You have to leave Palestine...When somebody tries to rob a bank the police get in, they don't negotiate and we have been negotiating with them for 65 years. We say get out or you are dead. We give them two minutes and then we start shooting and that's the only way they'll understand."

In response, Shimon Fogel, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, issued the following statement: "It is disgusting and outrageous that a speaker at a rally in Canada would call for the murder of Jews in Israel. This is a hideously new low for Al-Quds Day - and speaks to the reason why it was necessary for Queen's Park to refuse the protest access to the Legislature's grounds. We are forwarding the information we have received to the Toronto Police Service for their review, in order to determine whether the statements made by the speaker constitute a violation of the Criminal Code of Canada. At the same time, we call on our fellow Canadians to recognize and condemn this incident for what it is: vicious antisemitism that has no place in our country."

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs is a non-partisan organization that serves as the advocacy arm of the Jewish Federations of Canada.

SOURCE: Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs

Steve McDonald Associate Director, Communications The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs [email protected] 416-953-4417