Canada: ‘Expert’ says antisemitism definition will be used ‘to attack Palestinian activism, promote Islamophobia’

Kehillat Beth Israel Congregation in Ottawa has invited former J-Space president and leftist “anti-racism expert” Karen Mock to speak about antisemitism. J-Space is the Canadian counterpart to J-Street in the U.S. The announcement was circulated in a newsletter by the organization Israel Now, which was founded by Meir Weinstein, former Canadian national director of the Jewish Defense League.

Israel Now took issue with Mock’s rejection of the non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism set out by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).

The IHRA definition of antisemitism is as follows:

Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

…. However, criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic.

Even the Liberal government of Canada has accepted the IHRA definition of antisemitism.

The warning from the Israel Now newsletter, which was circulated by email, stated: “The following is a very concerning statement from Karen Mock who is not at all an expert on antisemitism. The statement was from November 5, 2020 when she was president of JSpace Canada. She should not be given a platform in the Jewish Community because she has enabled Islamic Antisemitism.”

October 7 unleashed antisemitism across Canada, and not only Canada. It globalized the Palestinian “resistance” “from the River to the Sea”; yet Mock “is concerned that the IHRA definition of antisemitism will be used ‘to attack Palestinian activism or to promote Islamophobia.'” The IHRA definition is comprehensive and fair, so if “Palestinian activism” is attacked (presumably verbally), then Karen Mock needs to look closer at what Palestinian activism is really about, as has been further highlighted since October 7.

Here’s an excerpt from Mock’s statement, cited by Israel Now: “On Oct. 27, Ontario became the first province in Canada to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. JSpace Canada, the organization we represent, joined the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), B’nai Brith Canada and Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center in applauding this decision. As most in our community are aware, we do not always see eye to eye with these organizations. As a progressive Zionist Jewish voice, we are unapologetic in our opposition to the Israeli occupation and emphatic in our support for a two-state solution — positions that aren’t always shared by more dominant community institutions. But on this occasion, we felt the need to rise above these differences. While our community has diverse voices and opinions, there is clear consensus about the need to combat the alarming rise of antisemitism…”

It is a mystery why leftists fall for the ploy that Israel stands in the way of a two-state solution. Any talk from the Muslim world about a two-state solution is questionable. They already declared the “State of Palestine.” The state of “Palestine” is already recognized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and fully embraced as a member nation. This is the reason that the OIC is said to have 57 member nations instead of 56. In January 2023, the Secretary-General of the OIC, Hissein Brahim Taha, finally received “the Permanent Representative of the State of Palestine to the OIC, Ambassador Dr Maher Karaki.” The anti-Israel goal is to exert international pressure to push Israel back to its pre-1967 borders as part of a “two-state solution.” These are the so-called “Auschwitz borders,” which make it tactically easy to annihilate Israel. In such a vision, the Arab war goals of 1948 (Israel’s War of Independence), 1967 (Six-Day War) and 1973 (Yom Kippur War) will finally be realized.

What Karen Mock and many of her Western leftist allies have failed to admit, perhaps even to themselves, is that the Palestinian battle is beyond their own personal sympathies, worldview and ambition; it is backed by 1,400 years of Islamic conquest. It didn’t start with the founding of a Jewish State 76 years ago. Hamas Political Bureau member and former Minister of the Interior Fathi Hammad has openly proclaimed that Palestinians are preparing to establish a global Islamic caliphate with Jerusalem as its capital. Are Karen Mock et al prepared to sit at a table and argue with Fathi Hammad on behalf of the Palestinian people? How will she also fare with Palestinian Authority Supreme Shari’ah Judge Mahmoud Al-Habbash, and advisor to PA President Mahmoud Abbas? Al-Habbash stated: “In the same way as Muslim Prophet Muhammad engaged in war during Ramadan, so too the Palestinians should engage in ‘Jihad.’” Al-Habbash preached the example of  Muhammad as he embarked on the Battle of Badr and conquered Mecca during Ramadan, saying Ramadan is “is not a month of laziness but rather … a month of Jihad, conquest, and victory.” Following the October 7 massacre, the Palestinian Authority increased the number of “Pay-For-Slay” beneficiaries by $1.3 million per month, while crying for even more aid.

Karen Mock is also not considering the Palestinian victims of Hamas being used as human shields. Islamic antisemitism is driving the worst surge in antisemitism since the Nazi era, which itself also included collaboration from Muslim Arab nationalists, most notoriously the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini.

October 7 was a warning of things to come. Ten days before October 7, the OIC stressed the importance of Iran’s place in the Muslim world, while urging Muslim unity against Israel. And in the next stage of the 15th OIC session, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar “expressed his deep concern over Israel’s ‘brutal military onslaught.‘” He urged OIC member states “to formulate a joint strategy to fight Islamophobia at the global level, work together to bring in an immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” and not just Gaza. Dar also urged the OIC to “implement its ‘Action Plan’ on Jammu and Kashmir.” The “Islamophobia” canard is intended to shut down criticism of Islam and prevent any light shone on its historic expansionary agenda and human rights atrocities, including persecution of religious minorities. Pakistan, known for its cruel blasphemy laws, zeroed in on the rise of “Islamophobia,” while completely ignoring, of course, the antisemitism that has risen to alarming proportions since October 7.

It is particularly troubling that Karen Mock allows herself to be used in a destructive agenda and has turned a blind eye to truth, thus causing further damage to the State of Israel as it tries to defend its state from obliteration in the face of Islamic antisemitism.