David Cooper

A follower of Canadian and Israeli Politics; trail running, and all things Tuscany.

[Patrick Brethour @PatrickBrethour]

Globe editorial: The missing words in Mark Carney's speech
https://t.co/kRIFkteK0A

[CIJA @CIJAinfo]

Less than 24 hours after the Prime Minister warned that foreign conflicts must not be transposed to target Canadians, Yuen Pau Woo took to the Senate floor to spread a modern-day blood libel—the same falsehood that has fueled a surge of hatred, intimidation, and violence against Jewish Canadians.

We commend the majority of Senators who rejected this reckless motion accusing Canada of "complicity in genocide in Gaza."

We also acknowledge the leadership of @SenatorHousakos, whose unequivocal opposition to this motion demonstrated the moral clarity this moment demands.

[CIJA @CIJAinfo]

CIJA Responds to Prime Minister’s Address on Antisemitism:

The Jewish community is angry, frustrated and deeply concerned for its future in Canada. For nearly three years, Jewish Canadians have watched antisemitism surge across our country while too many institutions, leaders, and authorities failed to respond with the urgency the situation demands. The hate and hostility targeting Canada’s Jewish community is an urgent national crisis.

In a public address to the nation, the Prime Minister acknowledged that antisemitism is a threat to all Canadians. He recognized that the crisis of antisemitism in Canada today is specific, severe, and demands a targeted response. He laid out specific measures the government has introduced, sharing his concern that Canada’s civic compact is failing the Jewish community.

The Prime Minister’s address marks an important moment in an urgently needed, national conversation. What matters most are the actions that will follow.

Urgent focus is now needed to ensure consistent enforcement of the law, as well as serious measures to disrupt radicalization and terrorist activity in Canada. To address the campaign of harassment targeting the Jewish community, authorities must also end the weaponization of public institutions like the Canada Revenue Agency. And in confronting the sources of radicalization, it is essential to recognize antizionist extremism as a driver of hostility toward Canadian Jews since the Hamas-led October 7 terrorist attacks—a point that the Prime Minister did not explicitly make and that Canadians needed to hear.

While the Prime Minister correctly stated that a whole of government approach is required to fight antisemitism, the formation and composition of the new Ministerial Advisory Council raise serious concerns. The challenge facing our country has been studied extensively. Immediate action, rather than further deliberation, is what’s needed now. This new body must not delay or obstruct the urgent measures needed to protect Canadians from the extremists threatening our national security, community safety, and the Canadian way of life.

We urge our Prime Minister and leaders across Canada to act now, in light of these growing threats. Our community will continue to advocate for measures to protect Canadians, confront extremism, and restore confidence that Canada remains a country where Jewish life can thrive safely and openly.

[Department of State @StateDept]

SECRETARY RUBIO: "Hezbollah is not just an enemy of Israel and an enemy of America, Hezbollah is an enemy of Lebanon and of the Lebanese people."

[Ambassador Mike Waltz @USAmbUN]

The path is clear:  Hizballah stops attacking Israel. 

The Lebanese Armed Forces and the legitimate Government of Lebanon assert control over Lebanese territory. 

And Iran stops using Lebanon as a forward operating base. 

And the Lebanese people, who have suffered for far too long, finally get a chance to rebuild a country that belongs to them—not Hizballah, not its thug leadership, and certainly not to Tehran.

[Artur Wilczynski @Arturmaks]

The fact the Conservative leader is out there speaking to antisemitism is a credit to him.

[CIJA @CIJAinfo]

CIJA CEO Noah Shack's Statement Ahead of the Prime Minister's Address on Antisemitism:

Since the Hamas-led October 7 terrorist attacks, extremists at home and foreign actors abroad have weaponized events in the Middle East to fuel hatred and violence against Jewish Canadians.

This has caused an unprecedented crisis: violent assaults and terrorist plots, synagogues and schools shot at and firebombed, businesses and community centres threatened and vandalized. This is happening amidst a broader campaign to drive Jews from public life and out of Canada entirely.

Canada's national security and our Canadian way of life are both under threat.

The federal government has taken important steps to strengthen community security and advance new laws to combat hate. But more is required to advance both protection and prevention.

Canada’s laws must be enforced and those who break them held meaningfully accountable. Government and law enforcement must address the drivers of this crisis, including radicalization, promotion of terrorism, and terrorist entities operating here in Canada.

We have called for vocal and unequivocal leadership from all levels of government. The Prime Minister has an opportunity to set the tone from the highest office to make clear that nothing can justify the hatred, intimidation, and violence Jewish Canadians are experiencing and that every tool at the government’s disposal will be used to confront it.

Monday’s address should serve as a call-to-action for governments, law enforcement, public institutions, and Canadians from all walks of life.
https://t.co/Y41uCG3niB

[Robyn Urback @RobynUrback]

It is actually impressive that the CBC managed to publish an entire story about posters of a missing Jewish girl being torn down without actually printing the word.

Are posters being torn down because people don’t like the font? CBC literally doesn’t say!!

[CIJA @CIJAinfo]

For nearly 80 years, the Canada–Israel relationship has benefited citizens of both countries and served as a force for good in the global fight against antisemitism.

That’s why we are deeply concerned by the current state of bilateral ties, underscored by the disconnect between the statements by Prime Minister Carney and President Herzog.

At a time when Israel is under attack and Jewish communities in Canada face escalating threats — including the hanging of effigies of Jews on the streets of Montreal and a major conference in Toronto referencing a “Jew free” society — the tone and substance of our leaders’ words matter.

Double standards and inflammatory rhetoric not only undermine efforts to stabilize bilateral relations — they also contribute to an increasingly hostile environment for Jewish Canadians, and do nothing to reassure our community that our government understands either Israel's reality or ours.

It is incumbent on all sides to act in good faith and work to reset the relationship for the benefit of both Canadians and Israelis.

[Warren Kinsella @kinsellawarren]

This guy is amazing. He is one of the best.

[CIJA @CIJAinfo]

Let us be clear: this is not a debate about the Middle East. Hanging effigies of Jews in the streets of Montreal evokes some of the darkest antisemitic imagery in history and is completely unacceptable.

This is not “peaceful activism.” It is the promotion of hatred and the incitement of violence that fuels the radicalization of our social climate.

What will it take for authorities to treat these acts as the serious threat they are?

[David Cooper @DavidACooper13]

Canada?

[Israel Foreign Ministry @IsraelMFA]

The free world and the self-appointed guardians of democracy and human rights remain silent as Erdoğan’s regime crushes Turkish democracy in broad daylight.

Opposition parties raided. Critics silenced.

So much for defending democratic values.

[Israel Foreign Ministry @IsraelMFA]

The miraculous “recovery” of the flotilla participants. All in no time.

[CIJA @CIJAinfo]

A joint statement, which was issued on the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, that condemns Israel while ignoring the Palestinian Authority’s responsibility reflects a troubling double standard that does not advance the conditions for peace or security.

The Palestinian Authority continues to financially reward terrorism through its “pay-for-slay” program, incentivizing violence against Israelis and Jews, while failing to implement meaningful democratic reforms.

If Canada intends to be a serious partner for peace, then any commitments made by the Palestinian Authority in exchange for recognition must be independently verified, enforced, and subject to transparent public accountability — not simply accepted at face value, especially as the Palestinian Authority continues to incentivize terror.
https://t.co/uu17zh9X2h

[Artur Wilczynski @Arturmaks]

Waiting for Canada to issue a harshly worded statement about abuses and excess by Spain. It won’t come because it isn’t about Israel.

[Shiri_Sabra @sabra_the]

Elon Musk on Israel🇮🇱:

"I’m a huge admirer of the innovation coming out of Israel, it is objectively true that Israel punches high above its weight — I think honestly number one in the world… innovation per capita, Israel is by far number one in the world."

[Bill Maher @billmaher]

People say the left and the right can’t agree on anything these days. But there is this one thing:

[CIJA @CIJAinfo]

The Lebanese people have the right to live in peace and security as do their neighbours in Israel. The conflict is rooted in Hezbollah’s relentless terror attacks, which have made large swaths of Israel’s north uninhabitable.

For the past 20 years the Lebanese government and UN forces have failed to address this threat. Israel has a fundamental obligation to defend its citizens from attack.

Any path to peace needs to credibly deal with the cause of this conflict— Hezbollah’s threat to Israelis and Lebanese civilians alike.
https://t.co/Y0mFlZ4JPf

[CIJA @CIJAinfo]

Last night, three individuals standing outside a Toronto synagogue were shot at with a replica firearm, leaving one person with minor injuries. This marks the second such incident in a week, following three separate shootings targeting synagogues in March.

This is not normal, and it cannot become normalized. Individuals were targeted outside a Jewish institution and subjected to intimidation and violence because of who they are and where they were.

The cumulative impact on the Jewish community is profound. Families should not have to fear attending synagogue, gathering in community spaces, or simply standing outside Jewish institutions in Toronto.

Governments, law enforcement, and civic leaders must treat these incidents with the seriousness they deserve and ensure those responsible are identified and held accountable.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Toronto Police.

[David Cooper @DavidACooper13]

Congratulations @kinsellawarren

[Warren Kinsella @kinsellawarren]

The Campaign documentary gets its worldwide debut!

Today Kari Hollend and I are excited and honoured to share that our documentary, The Campaign, will have its world premier at the @docaviv Film Festival in Tel Aviv, taking place May 28-June 5. We will be there for it, too.

The Campaign is a documentary that pulls back the curtain on modern information warfare: how narratives are manufactured, how division is monetized, and how digital propaganda is shaping the world we live in.What began as a film about strategy and influence became something much bigger. A journey into the forces manipulating both history and reality. A wake-up call and a cautionary tale.

More to come about the festival and other worldwide showings. In the meantime, we are very excited about this honour, and grateful to all of you who supported The Campaign.