Letters To The Editor

Profile of Dubai Jews eye-opening

With a century of attrition of Jewish populations from Arab lands, under the most oppressive of circumstances, the normalization agreement between Israel and the UAE is a welcome development. Regardless of the political gamesmanship behind it, the leadership shown to broker this peace will have a long-lasting and positive effect on the Middle East.

As described in your story Dubai’s Jews Excited After Peace Deal, the tolerance of our people in the kingdom has set the stage for economic growth, cultural exchanges, and of course Jewish and other tourism. One certainly hopes that the reports of possible similar agreements with Sudan and Morocco will follow. This is a great achievement and finally, we might be seeing the acceptance of our right to exist among more of our neighbours.

Nachman Cohen

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Adopt Internationally Recognized IHRA Definition of Antisemitism

HonestReporting Canada has issued an open letter calling on Canadian media outlets to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.

It’s imperative for Canadian news organizations and journalists to use the IHRA definition in their own reporting of Israel to not allow expressions of antisemitism masquerading as political positions to have a seat at the proverbial table. Rather, media outlets should be firm and understanding that the characterization of Israel as a modern-day Nazi state, or allowing classical antisemitic imagery to be repeated in reference to Israel, is to be an unwitting participant in the spread of hatred against Jews across Canada.

At a time when antisemitic incidents have reached near historic levels and when Jews remain the most targeted minority group in Canada, IHRA helps to identify instances of Jew-hatred and to enforce laws and policies to counter the scourge of antisemitism.  To read our letter to Canadian media outlets, click here.

HonestReporting Canada

Public input helps us be accountable to our readers and gauge our successes and shortcomings. We seek to improve every day. Letters and messages for publication should be addressed “Dear Editor” and can be sent through our online form or emailed to marty@thej.ca. I look forward to your comments.