HonestReporting Canada

In early August, Hollywood actor Jamie Foxx shared a cryptic post on Instagram, saying “They killed this dude name Jesus,” and soon shared another user’s post which read, in part: “Judas showed His Self!!!” While Foxx soon apologized and deleted the posts, saying he meant no harm and that he was referring to one person in particular, he was tapping into centuries of antisemitic hate, particularly relating to claims of deicide (accusations that Jews killed Jesus, and bear a collective responsibility). Notwithstanding Foxx’s apology, his post was a reminder of the potent nature of how quickly antisemitic propaganda can spread online, and how even ancient messages can find receptive audiences in the modern era.

In late July, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a new proposal: a $35 billion dollar (CAD) high-speed train, which would travel from Kiryat Shmona in Israel’s north, all the way to the port city of Eilat, in southern Israel. The train, which would travel as fast as 250 kilometres per hour, could do more than connect Israel; it could also serve as a future link between the Jewish State and Saudi Arabia, should a bilateral agreement be signed establishing relations. Israel’s planning of a high-speed railway represents more than just a new train line; it also represents the country’s investment in the future.

According to a recent survey conducted by Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI), based on a two-year review of posts on Twitter, Israel is accused of violating human rights more than any other country in the world. The report found that Israel faces those accusations on social media 38 times more than Iran, and more than 100 times more than North Korea. Both of those regimes widely abuse their citizen’s human rights, in contrast to Israel, a liberal democracy that guarantees its people’s rights.

In early June, residents in Ontario’s Kawartha region, known for its scenic natural beauty, received antisemitic flyers delivered to their homes. The flyers accused Jews of controlling the media, of “the Covid agenda,” “child grooming,” and more. But the flyers aren’t an isolated incident; a Florida-based hate group called Goyim Defense League (GDL) is behind the effort, and members of the organization have harassed Jews in multiple cities in the United States. While the news media may not be aware of this threat, it still must be taken seriously.

In early July, Israel carried out a major counter-terrorism operation in the Jenin refugee camp, which for years has been an epicentre of Palestinian terrorist attacks against Israel. Although the operation was over in only two days, Israel seized and destroyed a large cache of weapons, and said it killed 18 Palestinian armed combatants, without killing a single Palestinian civilian. Not only does Israel have a right to defend itself, but its ability to minimize Palestinian civilian casualties is noteworthy, though it often goes unreported by the news media.

In late June, Natural Resources Canada announced a major investment in an advanced earthquake detection system developed by Tel Aviv University, in partnership with SeismicAI, an Israeli hi-tech company. The Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) system aims to provide advanced notice for Canadians in high-risk areas, so they can find safety before a large-scale earthquake strikes. This Canadian investment in Israeli know-how could potentially save countless lives should such a natural disaster take place in Canada. Although often covered by the news media when conflict takes place, Israel’s true impact is helping to make the world a better place.

In mid-June, the British government introduced a bill which, if passed by Parliament, would ban local councils across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales from passing anti-Israel boycott resolutions. The bill has received support from the British government’s Jewish community, but is being actively opposed by anti-Israel groups, who are pressuring their local Members of Parliament (MPs) to oppose the legislation. Despite opposition, the legislation marks an important step in holding local councils accountable for anti-Israel campaigns, and is a step that Canada should follow.

It was less than 80 years ago that Germany’s Nazi party invaded Europe, targeting the continent’s Jews for mass murder. But today, Germany and Israel – the Jewish State – enjoy close relations in many areas, including economic, diplomatic, defence, and cultural. Recently, German’s parliament approved a large self-defence deal with Israel, and also released a strategic document, which placed major importance on Berlin’s ties with the Jewish State. In just a few decades, Germany has become an indispensable friend and ally of Israel – and the future looks even brighter.

On June 3, an Egyptian border police officer murdered three innocent Israeli soldiers in an unprovoked attack. The attack, though a rarity, highlights an uncomfortable truth in Egypt: despite the country’s 44-year-old peace treaty with Israel, hostility towards the Jewish State runs extremely high, and the vast majority of Egyptians oppose official ties with the country. True peace means more than just an absence of war; as shown with Israel’s recent ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), it means a true embrace of coexistence between two peoples.

On May 30, a Polish-Canadian historian of the Holocaust at the University of Ottawa, Jan Grabowski, was scheduled to deliver a lecture in Warsaw, Poland about Polish complicity in the Holocaust and the Polish government’s attempts to whitewash its history. But Grabowski was unable to deliver his lecture because a Polish politician with a history of making antisemitic comments, Grzegorz Braun, physically disrupted the event and prevented Grabowski from sharing his research. With the number of Holocaust survivors decreasing, the need has never been greater to preserve their memories accurately and not let the history of the Holocaust get whitewashed to benefit Nazi collaborators.

Jerusalem is more than just the capital of Israel, and the home to the holiest sites in Judaism, as well as locations of huge importance for Christianity and Islam. It is also a diverse, cosmopolitan city, but also deeply religiously conservative. Despite this, Jerusalem is also host to a large Pride Parade every year, attracting as many as 25,000 revelers. This year on June 1, Jerusalem’s Pride Parade is held, showcasing Israel’s commitment to tolerance and equal protection under the law for all its citizens.

At a recent United Nations conference on the “Nakba,” the Arabic word meaning "catastrophe", in regard to Israel’s independence in 1948, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas compared Israel to Nazi Germany, specifically Nazi Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels. Only months after Abbas claimed that Israel had committed “50 Holocausts” against the Palestinians, it’s time for the news media – and the world at large – to hold the Palestinian leader to account for his false and inciting words.

In early April, 23-year-old Zuhair al-Ghaleeth was shot and dumped into an unmarked grave outside the city of Nablus. According to Lion’s Den, a Palestinian terrorist group that claimed responsibility for his murder, he was a “collaborator” with Israel. Even after his death, his family refused to accept his body for burial, and all but disowned him. Where is the news media coverage when it comes to Palestinians murdered by their own?

Calgary’s Mount Royal University (MRU) is scheduled to present the “Calgary Peace Prize” on May 18 to Mohammed El-Kurd, one of the world’s most prominent anti-Israel activists. The prize claims to recognize El-Kurd’s “exemplary contribution toward peace and justice,” but El-Kurd is no human rights activist; he has frequently shared anti-Israel disinformation and even antisemitic propaganda with his large social media following and regularly glorifies Palestinian terrorists. Why is a publicly-funded institution presenting this prize to such an individual, and where is the media coverage?

Recently, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, visited southern Lebanon and was within striking distance of Israel, where he proclaimed that recent events in the region “will lead to the collapse of the Zionist entity.” His words are more than just rhetoric; Iran’s regime is an active funder and supplier to Hezbollah, the Shiite Islamist terrorist group operating in southern Lebanon, which threatens Israel’s existence. It’s time the news media shine a light on Iran and Hezbollah’s genocidal aims.

This past week, Israel commemorated Yom Hazikaron, its annual day of remembrance and memorial for its fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism. Since 1860, more than 24,000 Israelis and those visiting Israel have died as a result of attacks. On Yom Hazikaron, much of Israel comes to a complete standstill at 11 am local time, when sirens across the country blare for one minute in remembrance of those who fell. While the news media doesn’t always show, it's an image that tells the true story of Israel: persistence in the face of adversity and a solemn and powerful reminder of Israel’s sacrifices.

When Israel was proclaimed on May 14, 1948, the country’s future wasn’t necessarily guaranteed. Almost immediately, it was invaded by surrounding Arab armies, intent on destroying Israel. But since then, Israel has more than just survived – it has thrived, into a vibrant economy, a free society, and a beacon of assistance for other countries around the world. As Israel turns 75 years old, it’s time to recognize how far the country has come, and how much promise still lies ahead.

In early April, a spate of Palestinian terror attacks engulfed Jerusalem, throughout Israel and in Judea & Samaria. From violent rioting inside Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque, shooting and car-ramming attacks, and rocket fire from Lebanon, Gaza and Syria; Israel was under attack from multiple locations. And while the violence may appear to be spontaneously-generated, behind the scenes, Iran was actively involved in arming, funding and training its terrorist proxies in the region, all dedicated to destroying Israel. It’s time the news media show the true face of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s leadership and its terror tentacles across the Middle East.

It’s a common phrase uttered at anti-Israel rallies around the world: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” While anti-Israel groups maintain the chant is little more than a call for support for the Palestinian cause, the truth is much darker: it’s a call for the destruction of Israel, the world’s only Jewish State. It’s time that the news media show the true face and intent of this hateful chant.

In early March, the Islamic Fatwa Council, an Islamic judicial body based in Najaf, Iraq, released a fatwa, or Islamic edict, condemning the Hamas terrorist group for its “inhumane actions” in oppressing the two million Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip. Representing a wide spectrum of Sunni and Shiite Muslims, the Islamic Fatwa Council also banned followers from supporting Hamas in any way. Importantly, when a noteworthy Islamic group condemns Hamas for its inhumane treatment of Palestinians, the mainstream media must take notice.

In late February, a Palestinian terrorist shot and killed two Israeli brothers as they were driving on a highway near their home in Samaria (northern “west bank”). After the terrorist was later killed during an exchange of fire with Israeli troops, his family was paid a condolence call by a number of high-ranking figures in the Palestinian Authority (PA), including a local governor, whose office described the terrorist as having committed an act of “martyrdom.” When the Palestinian leadership endorses murder against Israeli civilians, where is the media coverageand outrage?

On Friday, March 3, a poster appeared in the Yorkville neighbourhood of downtown Toronto, showing a Star of David alongside the words "anti apartheid is not antisemitism.” Without showing an Israeli flag, or even the word Israel, the phrase clearly associated Jews with apartheid, a brutal system of oppression widely used in South Africa. While the unapproved poster was promptly removed and condemned by the city’s acting mayor, the incident highlights the increasingly brazen tactics used by anti-Israel groups.

Over two days in mid-February, two Jewish men were shot in drive-by shootings in Los Angeles, California. The suspect, 28-year-old Jaime Tran, is alleged to have previously sent threatening antisemitic texts to a Jewish former classmate. The two victims were treated at hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, but the attack could have been far worse: reports say multiple weapons were allegedly found in Tran’s possession. While this attack did not claim any lives, experts say that tackling antisemitic hate will help to stem the tide of antisemitic attacks.

In early February, a devastating earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, killing at least 40,000 people and injuring more than 100,000 others. Following the deadly natural disaster, relief teams began pouring into the region from across the world. One of the largest groups came from Israel, a tiny country smaller than Vancouver Island. But this humanitarian effort from Israel is only the latest example of the Jewish State using its expertise to assist innocent people around the world after enduring a natural disaster, regardless of the politics at play.

More than two years afterstatingtheir intention to establish diplomatic relations, Israel and Sudan have recently announced that they plan to finalize a peace agreement by the end of 2023. Such a deal between the two countries would be very significant, not only due to the size and influence of Sudan but because the African country has long been hostile to Israel’s existence, sending soldiers to fight Israel in 1948 and being host to a famous summit in 1967, opposing all ties with the Jewish State.