Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TORONTO6
2009-01-06 20:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Toronto
Cable title:  

Ontario Union Call For Ban on Israeli Professors; Canadian

Tags:  PGOV KWBG XF IS PREL KPAL GZ CA 
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E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KWBG XF IS PREL KPAL GZ CA
SUBJECT: Ontario Union Call For Ban on Israeli Professors; Canadian
Jewish Congress Immediately Responds.

UNCLAS TORONTO 000006

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KWBG XF IS PREL KPAL GZ CA
SUBJECT: Ontario Union Call For Ban on Israeli Professors; Canadian
Jewish Congress Immediately Responds.


1. (U) Summary: The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) in
Ontario announced on January 6 that it would propose a ban on
Israeli academics speaking, teaching, or researching at Ontario
universities. The proposal is in response to the December 29
Israeli bombing that damaged the Islamic University in Gaza.
Canadian Jewish groups immediately condemned the resolution for
being unfair and unbalanced. End Summary.


2. (U) CUPE, the province's largest university workers union,
announced that its University Workers Coordinating Committee will
try to prohibit Israeli academics from speaking, teaching, or
researching at Ontario universities. CUPE Ontario President Sid
Ryan proclaimed that Israeli academics should not be working in
Ontario universities unless they explicitly condemn the bombing of
the Islamic University in Gaza and the assault on Gaza in general.
The resolution is still being drafted for consideration at the
Committee's annual meeting on February 19. If it passes the
Committee, it would be on the agenda at CUPE Ontario's conference in
May. Should it pass that point, the union would then ask the
province's schools to respect the prohibition.


3. (SBU) Canadian Jewish groups such as the Canadian Jewish Congress
(CJC) and Hillel student organizations immediately condemned the
proposal. The Ontario branch of the CJC called the resolution
"unbalanced, unfair, and unhelpful." A well-known non-Jewish human
rights activist who has worked with many ethnic groups told us
privately that he also considered the resolution to be ridiculous
and unfair. If one is going to oppose blaming all Palestinians
collectively for the actions of Hamas, he said, one must also oppose
blaming all Israeli academics for the actions of their government.
He doubted that the resolution would go anywhere.


4. (U) Comment: The proposed ban on Israeli academics is the latest
in recent events showing how the Israeli offensive in Gaza has
raised emotions in Toronto - Canada's most diverse city and home
both to Canada's largest Muslim community and also its largest and
most influential Jewish community. In the last two weeks, two
demonstrations against Israel's actions have been held in Toronto
with protestors marching from the Israeli Consulate to the U.S.
Consulate. The most recent protest, on January 3, saw as many as
3,000 demonstrators gather peaceably in front of our Consulate. The
Jewish community, meanwhile, also is organizing events here to
demonstrate support of Israel. The resolution itself seems likely
to be dropped as a bad idea (and it likely would be OBE before it
comes to a vote in any case),but vocal and biased comments and more
Toronto demonstrations can be expected throughout the operation.
End Comment.

NAY