Choosing Your Neighbours

"The University administration has been communicating with protest organizers since it began, and we continue to convey our expectations to them to ensure a peaceful and lawful protest."

"Our priority remains upholding the rights of students, professors and staff to be safe and respected."

"The safety and well-being of all members of our community and [to] allow them to move around freely on our campuses will see the university continue to act in accordance with its policies and regulations]."

"Incitement to violence, threats, harassment, intimidation, damage or occupation of buildings will carry consequences."

Jess Robichaud, spokesperson, University of Ottawa

"As we have continuously reiterated, our focus will remain on the genocide of Gaza and we expect that the university responds to our demands for divestment promptly."

Integrity Not Spite Against Falastin

"We must ensure that members of the Jewish community -- and all residents of our city -- can gather whenever they choose to do so in safety, and free from intimidation and fear."

"We must continue to support our Jewish community, which is experiencing increasingly higher levels of antisemitism. Let's all work together to ensure our city is safe and free from violence and racism in all its forms."

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe

"Today's ceremony [Israel's Independence Day -- Yom Ha'atzmaut] sends a clear message: the Jewish community has the right to celebrate its culture and history, just like all other communities in Canada. Hate will not erase our community or any other."

"Since its inception, the raising of the flags of the many nations with which Canada shares diplomatic ties, has always been a time for the Jewish community to come together and stand proudly, without fear."

"The landscape this year looks different, and it is disheartening."

"We hope that today signals the beginning of a shift away from hatred and extremism, and toward a future where all Canadians, all governments and police services stand with the Jewish community to ensure we can continue to live safely as proud Jewish Canadians."

Jewish Federation of Ottawa

People dressed in blue and white and waving Israeli flags, gathered in the plaza at Ottawa city hall on Tuesday to commemorate Israel’s independence, while pro-Palestinian protesters chanted in the background. Photo by Blair Crawford/POSTMEDIA

 

A week ago the city advised that plans for a ceremony that usually accompanies the raising of the flag of the State of Israel in recognition of its Independence Day, would proceed and end with the flag. The annual ceremony was to be cancelled in view of police concerns that violence would erupt from the same sources that have marched through the streets of Canada and virtually shut down universities, while excoriating Israel and Jews for the Israeli military response in Gaza to the earlier October 7 massacre by terrorist Hamas in southern Israel of Jewish men, women and children.

On that occasion the Mayor of Ottawa spoke of his "disappointment" with the decision, urging Ottawa Police and the Jewish Federation to consider a workable plan where the day could be marked in safety. That original decision was reversed a day later, with the ceremony to proceed along with the raising of the Israeli flag. In preparation for a backlash by organized 'pro-Palestinian' supporters of the Hamas mass rape, mutilation and murder of Israeli girls, women and children, Ottawa Police Service officers were present, expecting to ensure that the Jewish celebration group and their Palestinian detractors were kept apart.

The City's security staff alongside other police officers patrolled inside city hall, while a drone hovered overhead. The first of the 'demonstrators' arrived to vilify the proceedings but not before the Israeli flag had been raised outside city hall. A banner reading "All Eyes on Gaza" conveyed the enraged expression over the event by those who came along to ensure that their bile at the joyous event for the Jewish population over a re-emerged historical homeland was noted by civic authorities.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators and pro-Israeli supporters were both on the front lawn of Ottawa City Hall after the city raised an Israeli flag on Tuesday. Photo by Jean Levac /Postmedia

 

"Sutcliffe, Sutcliffe,you can't hide, You support genocide" was chanted by the crowd of well-wishers who have made Canada their home and in the process have demonstrated how unsuitable they are for membership as citizenry of a decent, law-abiding, self-respecting social order. A month earlier the Ottawa Police Service Hate and Bias Crime Unit had launched an investigation over a demonstrator chanting praise for the murderous attack by Hamas on October 7 in southern Israel.

The Jewish Federation of Ottawa conveyed its gratitude to the city mayor and the police for their openness to the re-enactment of the yearly respectful acknowledgement of Israel's Independence Day celebrations. For their part, the anti-Zionist, anti-Jew, anti-Israel, antisemitic crowd seeking to overwhelm the day's proceedings with their venom held signs equating the flag of Israel to that of Nazi Germany; the ultimate irony considering fascist Germany's genocide against Europe's Jews.

Among others within the protesters, chants erupted warning Jews to "go back to Europe". The stark civil differences between the two groups on full display. Never has a Jewish community organized hateful campaigns anywhere against other members of a nation's ethnic/religious group, committing instead to become part of the overall community in their worldwide diaspora, and to contribute to the entire national community's welfare.

The Palestinian, Arab, Muslim immigrants, refugees and migrants have largely emerged as a Jew-hating bloc that despite their possible differences in country of origin, sectarian divisions, tribe and culture, the sole issue they find common cause with is hatred of Jews, agreeing as a group to campaign against Jews in their adopted community, in occasionally violently hostile criminal acts, and certainly in joint actions leaving no doubt in anyone's mind that their acrimonious antipathy represents a brand of antisemitism immune to reasonable intelligence.

 

The very public clashes between the two groups; one taking pride in a nation for whom a return to Zion speaks of history, antecedents, culture, religion, heritage and Jewish tradition, the other viciously condemnatory, in full rejection of history and justice balancing wrongs righted to acknowledge an ancient injustice with the full spite of those who cannot stomach the reality of Jewish entitlements to history's legacy.

 

Jewish celebration of May 14, 1948 reflects pride in achievement and the presence of a national identity reborn. In contrast to Palestinian/Arab/Muslim resentment at that achievement that runs counter to Islam's injunction that land once consecrated to Islam -- stolen land included -- may never be permitted to return to its former identity; in this instance a Jewish state returned to its ancestral roots. 

 

And whereas Jews were overjoyed at the creation of the State of Israel, Arabs who call themselves Palestinians rejected outright the opportunity to establish their own state alongside that of Israel. That too is history. Resorting to deadly violence immediately on Israel's re-establshment, 'Palestinians' have relied upon their very special brand of lethal violence ever since, branching out to brand themselves as the world's premier 'victims' and establishing a remarkable propaganda campaign excelling at slandering Israel.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators and pro-Israeli supporters were both on the front lawn of Ottawa City Hall after the City raised an Israeli flag on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. Photo by Jean Levac /Postmedia

"From the river to the sea, Palestine is almost free! [shouted the demonstrators, along with] Globalize the Intifada [and] We don't want two states, take us back to '48!"

Israel's Independence Day counter-demonstrators

Refusing to Capitulate to the Howling Mob

Officials gather to mark Israel's Day of Independence at Ottawa City Hall in this 2014 file photograph. Photo by Chris Mikula /The Ottawa Citizen

"The shameless Zionists along with disgraceful city council members are planning to raise the genocide flag in city hall to commemorate the 76 years of occupation, land theft, Zionist terrorism and injustice."

"Genocide Mark has REVERSED the cancellation of the disgusting zionist flag raising ceremony ON NAKBA DAY‼️ The flag raising will be followed up by a “celebration” at noon😐 and it is all being veiled under the disguise of Judaism… So since they follow our page & see what we post, we would like to once again reiterate; JUDAISM YES✅ ZIONISM NO🚫"

"Join us as we raise the honourable Palestinian flag & shed light what the zionist occupation’s “independence” really means‼️"

"A lot of politicians will be in attendance & a lot of zionists will be waving their disgusting flag & celebrating… So email your MP, city councillors or any elected official & let them know that we WILL be naming & shaming any and all politicians taking part in their event."

Ottawa4Palestine

Several days earlier, Ottawa City Hall announced that after much deliberation and no doubt mulling over the threats issued by 'pro-Palestinian'-Hamas groups such as Ottawa4Palestine and in the interests of public safety and security there would be no ceremony accompanying the raising of the Israeli flag as has been the practise for decades. "The City must prioritize the safety of its residents,visitors, and employees", the message read with the additional notation that people should not come out to celebrate at the venue, ostensibly in fear of violence erupting.

Since that declaration of intent and the decision that was reached -- disappointing the Ottawa Jewish community, under duress by the municipality's larger Arab/Muslim population many of whom are disposed to blaming Israel for the conflict that has ensued between Israel and Gaza as a result of the Hamas terrorist group having invaded southern Israel on October 7 when thousands of Hamas operatives along with those of other Palestinian terror groups such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine mass-raped Jewish girls and women, and slaughtered 1,200 Israelis, taking 253 hostages -- Mayor Sutcliffe has exercised himself to some introspection.

 

While he did, at the time of the original decision being declared, also state his own disappointment that he and Ottawa City Council felt it was necessary to heed the threats emanating from 'Palestinian'-defending sources to avoid violent confrontations, commiserating with the antisemitic assaults Jews across Canada and in Ottawa have been subjected to, and deploring the ongoing 'protests' against Zionism, Jews and Israel, he reached a decision where he felt responsible enough that he and City Council decided after all, to reverse their decision.

"Like all residents of our city, Ottawa's Jewish community deserves to gather whenever it chooses in an environment that is free from hate, violence and racism."

"This is fundamental to a city that is free and democratic. Over the past two days, I have listened carefully to members of the community and I agree that they, and everyone in our community, should be able to hold events in public spaces without fear of threats and intimidation. My responsibility is to do everything possible to protect the safety of all members of our community. I've asked the chief of police and city officials to work with the Jewish Federation of Ottawa on a plan for an event to mark Israel's Independence Day while protecting the security and safety of everyone involved."

"We must ensure that members of the Jewish community -- and all residents of our city -- can gather whenever they choose to do so in safety, and free from intimidation and fear."

"We must continue to support our Jewish community which is experiencing increasingly higher levels of antisemitism. Let's all work together to ensure our city is safe and free from violence and racism in all its forms."

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe