B’nai Brith Denies Reality of Ethnic Cleansing, Attempts to Silence Free Speech and Shutdown Academic Research

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

B’nai Brith Denies Reality of Ethnic Cleansing,
Attempts to Silence Free Speech and Shutdown
Academic Research

Toronto - The Canadian Arab Federation (CAF), Palestine House
and the Canadian Islamic Congress (CIC) strongly condemn the
scurrilous attack by B’nai Brith on an essay competition
jointly launched and sponsored by the three organizations
on March 2, 2008. The competition invites Canadian high
school and university students (ages 17 through 27)
to write an essay on the theme "The Ethnic Cleansing
of Palestine” and is part of activities commemorating the
60th anniversary of Al Nakba – the ethnic cleansing of
Palestinians from their homeland in 1947-48.

In its attack, B’nai Brith claims that the competition is
“… contrary to the equity and human rights policies”
of universities and high schools and encourages
these institutions to refuse participation. This call to
shutdown academic research and free speech is typical
of B’nai Brith’s contempt for the basic principles of
academic institutions. These tactics of intimidation
are becoming an all too common refrain of pro-Israel
organizations, and are simply designed to stem the
growing public awareness of Israel’s apartheid
policies, which have been denounced by Archbishop
Desmund Tuto of South Africa, former US president
Jimmy Carter, and Special Rapporteur to the UN Human
Rights Council John Dugard, among others.

Israel was founded upon the ethnic cleansing of the
Palestinian people. Between 1947 and 1948, nearly
800,000 Palestinians were expelled from their homes
and lands and over 500 Palestinian villages and
neighborhoods were destroyed, and their inhabitants
prevented from ever returning to their homeland.

These facts are not “lies and distortions” but the
factual reality of the Palestinian people. Palestinian
refugees, now numbering 7.3 million, constitute the
largest refugee population in the world and --
sixty years after this ethnic cleansing --
are still waiting to return home.

Israeli historians such as Simha Flapan, Benny Morris,
and Ilan Pappe have played a leading role in confirming
this history. Indeed, B’nai Brith would do well to consult
Benny Morris, "The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee
Problem 1947-1949 - Revisited" (Cambridge University
Press, 2004) and Ilan Pappe, “The Ethnic Cleansing
of Palestine” (Oneworld Publications, 2006) for these
facts, which are now a matter of historical record.

Pappe’s book will be awarded to all winners of the
essay competition.

B’nai Brith’s response to this essay competition is
one further confirmation that pro-Israel organizations
fear the wide support amongst Canadians for
justice in Palestine. The myths surrounding Israel’s
establishment are being exposed for what they are,
and thousands of high school and university students
across the country are active in solidarity campaigns
with the Palestinian people.

We believe that Israel is a state that defines itself on
the basis of one religious and ethnic group and only
protects people who belong to that group. In contrast,
we support the right of anyone to live in the land of
historic Palestine, regardless of ethnicity or religion.

Central to this conviction is the right of Palestinian
refugees, in accordance with Article 13 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, to return to their homes
and lands from which they were expelled in 1947 –
1948. This is keeping in line with Canada's
historical commitment to combat racism and to
uphold international law and human rights.

B’nai Brith has once again proven that its claim to
support human rights is nothing but a rhetorical
device designed to obfuscate their support of
Israel’s policies of discrimination, apartheid and
ethnic cleansing. We strongly believe that no school
or university will heed the call to silence academic
inquiry and freedom of speech. We are extremely
proud to launch this essay competition as part of
the commemorations of the 60th anniversary
of Al Nakba, and look forward to receiving many
excellent contributions from students across the country.

For more information, please contact:

Khaled Mouammar

CAF National President

416-879-6766

benwalid@rogers.com