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Letter to CAEF Exposes Trudeau Gov’t Blind Spot To UNRWA Antisemitism

Assurances that “due diligence” is weeding out terrorist-grooming textbooks not only amount to political buffoonery, they also insult the intelligence of Canadians

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“Representing the Western Wall (al-Buraq Wall) as sacred exclusively to Muslims: “…the al-Buraq Wall is part of the western wall of al-Aqsa mosque and right to it belongs exclusively to Muslims.” From the fifth grade textbook Islamic Education, part 1 (2017), page 54. “(Quote and photo: terrorism-info.org.il)

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By a letter dated May 6, 2021, Liberal Minister Karina Gould also replied to the March 1 letter of the President and the Executive Director of the Canadian Antisemitism Education (CAEF) addressed to the Prime Minister and Minister Garneau to protest Canada’s continuing funding of the educational services of UNRWA.

In her reply, the Minister, inter-alia, wrote:

“I have taken note of your comments regarding Palestinian refugees, antisemitism and funding to UNRWA. I would first underline that Canada will always remain a strong and steadfast ally of Israel and will continue to defend Israel against its unfair singling out in international forums.”

Given the subject matter of the originating letter, one would expect the Minister to also give her assurances to defend Israel against UNWRA’s and P.A’s use of the impugned school books and materials and the crimes committed by the graduates of the UNRWA educational services from perpetrating terrorism and related hate crimes against Jews and Israel.

The Minister went on to claim:

“The Government of Canada is committed to focusing its international assistance on the most vulnerable communities, including those served by UNRWA. UNRWA’s operations are crucial to meet the needs of Palestinian refugees, including over 500,000 children, and contribute to stability in the region by providing basic services to people whose needs would otherwise be unmet.”

How could the UNWRA’s school books replete with hatred, incitement to terrorism and martyrdom possibly contribute to the stability of the region?

To read Part One in this series, click here.

To read Part Two in the series, click here

Presumably with respect to the school materials published by UNRWA, she wrote:

“Regarding problematic educational materials that were provided to UNRWA students, I have repeatedly indicated the government’s deep concern. Canada firmly maintains there is no place for hatred or incitement of violence. UNRWA has recognized its error and is implementing corrective actions. Canadian officials and I are working closely with partners and UNRWA’s senior management to address the issue, and to help ensure that UN values are upheld and that UNRWA takes further corrective actions, as needed, in this regard. Canada and other donor governments expect:

“UNRWA to uphold UN values and humanitarian principles, including neutrality, in all its activities. This includes support for UNRWA’s efforts to ensure that its students learn UN values such as neutrality, human rights, tolerance, equality, and non-discrimination based on race, gender, language and religion. Canadian funding reinforces UNRWA’s ongoing efforts in this regard, including work to identify, monitor and follow up on violations of these principles. I would note that Canada’s support for the period from 2020 to 2022 is contributing to UNRWA’s activities to promote neutrality in its operations and among its staff, building on neutrality-specific funding Canada has provided since 2016. Canada’s active participation on UNRWA’s Advisory Commission allows for oversight, influence and engagement on key issues. It is important for Canada to have a seat at the table, to ensure that our concerns are heard and to support efforts to address issues. Additionally, UNRWA continues to implement significant management reform initiatives aimed at strengthening UNRWA’s accountability, transparency, management and governance.

“Canada has long been a strong voice for transparency and accountability. Canada remains closely engaged on these efforts.

“As with all Canadian development and humanitarian assistance to the West Bank and Gaza, Canada exercises enhanced due diligence on funding for UNRWA.”

At the end of the day, the government has yet to explain how despite its alleged due diligence from 2016 through to the present, UNRWA managed to and continues to use the P.A. textbooks whose contents violate every single value and principle espoused by Canada and the U.N.

Surely, in the light of evidence, the foregoing claims and assertions not only amount to political buffoonery, they also insult the intelligence of Canadians.

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To conclude on a helpful note

If the government is searching for a list of matters that require it to exercise due diligence , I bring Minister Gould’s attention to the following list of15 “indiscretions” that call for such diligence, compiled this month by David Bedein, head of Israel Resource News Agency at the Center for Near East Policy.

Formally request in writing and get the new UNRWA Commissioner to:

1. Get rid of all its textbooks and educational materials which do not jive with U.N. values. 

2. Cancel its contract to use the P.A. school books.

3. Remove posters and murals of “martyrs” that adorn the UNRWA schools.

4. Order the El Kutla youth clubs in the UNRWA schools inspire pupils with the mantra of the armed struggle from a young age to cease and desist from violent incitement and make sure they do.

5. Order an end to military parades in any UNRWA facility.

6. Prevent Hamas terror groups from presenting candidates to run teachers and worker unions of UNRWA by demanding that any UNRWA employee who runs on a “Hamas ticket” be barred from the payroll.

(Writer’s question: What would happen if a Hamas member does not run on a Hamas ticket and gets elected?)

7. Ensure that any and all calls to violence in the yearly Nakba ceremonies in UNRWA, when the PLO mourns the defeat of the Armies which invaded Israel.

8. Issue a policy statement that UNRWA dissociates itself both from popular singer Mohammad Assaf from Gaza who claims to be the “UNRWA Youth Ambassador” and whips up crowds to violence, and his message.

9. Cancel all memorial events in UNRWA schools for Arabs killed in the act of murder.

A Grade 7 science book used by UNRWA, discusses the use of slingshots against IDF soldiers In a lesson about Newton’s Second Law of Physics. (Photo: bnaibrithuk.org)

10. a) Make sure that all funds and equipment donated by 67 nations and 32 NGOs that amount to a flow of $1.2 billion, are used for humanitarian needs, and not stolen, transferred to the hands of terror groups or sold in the open market, and b) Put an end to cash payments, which makes donor transparency nearly impossible.

11. Put an end to the export of UNRWA school books, using the diplomatic pouches of donor states, which promote the right of return and the replacement of Israel with Palestine.

12. Prevent the obfuscation of UNRWA’s financial situation by specifying how it spends its budget and publicising immediately an accounting of expenditures.

13. Ensure that all the world and regional maps distributed by UNRWA do not obliterate Israel, a U.N member in good standing, and replace all Israeli locations with Arab names.

14. Make sure that the P.A personnel who dominate the UNRWA payroll never repeat the fake news that Jews cause Coronavirus which originated from the official PA sources who swamped the public domain with this lie.

(Writer’s question: Why not prohibit knowingly originating and/or spreading antisemitic and anti-Israeli fake news?)

15. To curb arms training of thousands of UNRWA students age 9 to 16 who, for the past 20 years have participated in summer camps which feature arms training with live weapons as such training flies in the face of U.N resolutions that protect the health and well- being of children.

(Writer’s questions: Why not simply cancel all such training? Why not insure that the summer camps are not by members of Hamas or any other terrorist organisation?

In all of this, the ultimate question though is, whether Canada has the motivation and guts and gumption to put these demands in writing and to make sure that the new UNRWA Commissioner complies with them in a timely manner?)

In the meantime

Where are the Canadian Jewish and other “progressives”- the nattering nabobs of negativism – in all of this?

Well, they are very busy mindlessly denying that Israel is lawfully in possession of Judea and Samaria and as a matter of law is fully entitled to extend its sovereignty to it. They just don’t have time to be concerned about the safety of Jews and security of Israel and ignore the incontrovertible fact that the two-nation solution to which they are wedded can never materialise so long as, among other things, the P.A. and UNRWA are busily engaged in their vicious educational assaults on the minds of all Palestinian children.

Doğan D. Akman is an independent researcher and commentator. He holds a B.Sc. in sociology, an M.A. in sociology/criminology and an LL.B in law. He held academic appointments in sociology, criminology and social policy; served as a Judge of the Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, and occupied the positions of Crown Counsel in criminal prosecutions and in civil litigation at the Federal Department of Justice. His academic work is published in peer-reviewed professional journals, while his opinion pieces and other writings are to be found in various publications and in blogs. 

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Happy reading!

Thank you for choosing TheJ.Ca as your source for Canadian Jewish News.

We do news differently!

Our positioning as a Zionist News Media platform sets us apart from the rest. While other Canadian Jewish media are advocating increasingly biased progressive political and social agendas, TheJ.Ca is providing more and more readers with a welcome alternative and an ideological home.

We revealed the incursion of anti-Israel progressive elements such as IfNotNow into our communities. We have exposed the distorted hateful agenda of the “progressive” left political radicals who brought Linda Sarsour to our cities, and we were first to report on many disturbing incidents of Nazi-based hate towards Jews across Canada.

But we can’t do it alone. We need your HELP!

Our ability to thrive and grow in 2020 and beyond depends on the generosity of committed readers and supporters like you.

Monthly support is a great way to help us sustain our operations. We greatly appreciate any contributions you can make to support Jewish Journalism.

We thank you for your ongoing support.

Happy reading!

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