What do the Mayor of Halifax and the Centre for Israel Jewish Affairs (CIJA)/The Atlantic Jewish Council have in common? They both blamed the left for the spray-painting of a swastika on two Halifax synagogues and the Chabad House. 

Who are the left? The hundreds of people who opposed and peacefully marched not once but twice the weekend before last against Halifax hosting of the Davis Cup and Team Israel.  

6 out of 16 councillors or 37% of city councillors voted NO to endorsing Tennis Canada & forking over $50,000.

Somehow the mayor doesn’t recall that barely three weeks ago 6 out of 16 councillors – 37% of city councillors — voted no to endorsing Tennis Canada by giving it a $50,000 gift. 

Yet there was no apology, no climb-down by the mayor – even though he’s had to rescind the city’s donation of $50,000 to Tennis Canada. 

Then suddenly someone sprayed a swastika on each Halifax synagogue and one on the Chabad community house near Dalhousie University.  Immediately – the official Jews sprung into action – and tried to link the pro-Palestinian demonstrators to this antisemitic action.  When the police released a photo of the probable culprit – it was clear none of us active “leftists” had ever seen this man at protests before.  Turns out the man is likely a troubled person who had no connection to anyone – except possibly right wing influencers, as his painted slogans (such as “Jews did 9/11″ are favoured by the right). 

Fillmore’s statement read, “there is no path to peace that includes bringing fear and division to Halifax.” True, but it was not pro-Palestine sympathizers who brought fear and division to Halifax. 

Remember to ask yourself “where was I when Israel killed more than 70,000 Palestinians in cold blood? …” 

I wonder where the mayor and all the councillors—never mind most of the NDP MLAs — were on Friday, when more than 400 pro-peace demonstrators took to Halifax streets to protest Team Israel’s presence at Tennis Canada’s Davis Cup.

I wonder where the official Jewish community was on Saturday afternoon when a group of the same “leftwing” demonstrators surrounded the pro-Nazis at the Canada First Rally on Saturday afternoon.  The leftwing demonstrators helped to chase the Canada Firsters off Citadel Hill.  Surely the official Jews heard that in 10 cities across the country, right wing extremists were mounting demonstrations.  The official Jews do not see the racist right as a threat, as long as they support Israel.   Their bedfellows include any group or institution or individual that supports Israel. 

Last week, Rabbi Yacov Kerzner of Halifax’s Beth Israel synagogue (which was spray-painted) insisted that whoever did the damage, was inspired by the protesters! He said,

“It is pure Jew hatred. . . . The protests going on probably excited enough people that somebody had the audacity and the nerve to come and deface our synagogue.” 

The ‘official’ Jews, such as the Rabbi as well as Halifax’s mayor,  need to apologize.  Their remarks slurred our pro-peace and anti-Israeli genocide rallies with the tinge of antisemitism.

Cartoon at the top by Carlos Latuff (from Brazil).