Morocco And The Middle East: Peace Deals Zooming Past Canadian Universities

It is safe to say at times, the reality on North American college’s campuses is so disconnected from the reality on the ground in Israel and the surrounding area that I wish to simply ignore it, however, a lot of my motivation to be an active student in the field of activism is to demonstrate my empathy for all peoples.

In this case, the Jewish people and Israeli people are the ones I feel for, that simply for retaining and identity they fought to preserve for generations they are continuingly persecuted in their homeland only for the world to go silent. Canada has committed injustices to the Jewish community but has pledged to learn and create a next-generation free of antisemitism; if that spirit is genuine, there is still much progress to be made.

If Canadian students are to prosper, Jewish students must not be polarized and threatened. Just like in Morocco, during its glory days of Jewish contribution, the same can be said at Universities. I wish to see a parallel trend of progress both through diplomatic but academic achievement regarding the Jewish community and Israel; as its representation on the world stage when hate is the one being blockaded so much positivity may arise out of that particular environment. 

In conclusion, I ask all students, staff, professors, administration, and University Presidents to adopt a mandate fighting against the hate that must be kicked off by the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.

It is always said you cannot solve a problem if you do not admit it first, in this case, if you can define antisemitism then you may fight it. As a non-Jew and as a Muslim student I often see IHRA as a guide to understand how to better be prepared to fight hate in an inclusive frontier with Jewish students but also guide my learning regarding other forms of hate. Believe me, antisemitism may start with the Jewish community but does not end there, when one burns a synagogue to the ground, all eyes are on the mosque, when a man wearing a kippah is attacked, a woman wearing a hijab is under the spotlight.

I wish to see significant progress regarding the fight against antisemitism on college campuses all over Canada, for me to rest assured that both in my ancestral homeland of Morocco and my beloved home of Canada, could move forward in a united population-driven frontier to build a next-generation free out of hate and full of progress.