This week, I talked with Marc Steiner of The Real News Network about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent Twitter attack on me.
The genesis of Trudeau’s attack was a deceptive campaign launched by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) in which CIJA omitted crucial information about the working definition of antisemitism adopted in 2016 by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.
Based on CIJA’s misleading campaign, Trudeau and other politicians elected to attack me rather than to denounce racist, Islamophobic and white supremacist supporters of Israel who gathered on August 29 in Toronto to show their support for B’nai Brith Canada. One of those B’nai Brith supporters was Toronto mayoral candidate Faith Goldy, who has promoted a fascist book calling for the elimination of the “Jewish menace” and who has praised the Greek neo-Nazi party, Golden Dawn.
My discussion with Marc can be watched and heard here:
https://therealnews.com/stories/alt-right-march-for-israel-human-rights-activist-smeared-as-anti-semitic.
Just watching this now. Housefather did respond tho
Housefather responded only after I issued the tweet for which I was attacked. Before then he remained silent.
Good interview I just finished watching it but 2 points. Housefather replied but didn’t denounce anything saying instead something like why should I respond to every crackpot. I think that’s important but in his reply he still didn’t denounce what they said. Second, I don’t think you should concede that it’s the same as the traditional loyalty argument. Christians for instance as you mention can have these conflicting loyalties but some are more devoted (to use your words) even to Israel than the US (the whole evangelical stream who believe Jesus will return when Jews go to their homeland and original borders). As you know they even organize trips to Israel, and support Jerusalem (Trump). I still think the key is that you never said what they actually accused you of: you never said they didn’t respond because they’re not loyal to Canada. You said or asked I should really say if they’re more devoted to Israel. The Christians you mention could be more devoted to Israel but loyal to US. Pat Robertson, etc. Even Jimmy Carter. I could say Jews have a special connection through history, heritage, tradition to Israel and are move devoted to it than where they live in the diaspora than to Greece, Turkey, Geneva, South Africa, Canada, the US etc. That doesn’t fall into the traditional loyalty trope.