At the core of UJA's mission is to unite and strengthen our community in every possible way. In today's climate, this work is not only essential to building a vibrant community, but it's also crucial to making our voice heard beyond the community.
While we do this in many different ways, one of the most important is forceful advocacy to ensure our community's voice to government is strong and clear. Through our advocacy agency the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), and in ongoing co-ordination with a range of Jewish organizations in this field, we are raising our community's serious concerns with the government's recognition of Palestinian statehood. Please see below for a timely update from CIJA's CEO Noah Shack about the latest developments on this important issue.
Shana Tova,
Adam Minsky
President & CEO
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Today, the Government of Canada has officially recognized Palestinian statehood, in concert with the governments of the United Kingdom and Australia.
More details may be read here, as well as the government's statement and CIJA's public response.
In our community as in Israel, there are diverse views on the current Israeli government, how to end this conflict, and how to create lasting peace. But there is significant consensus that our government should not recognize Palestinian statehood while Hamas continues to control large parts of Gaza and hold hostages in tunnels.
There is also a clear recognition that Hamas is not an isolated phenomenon. It is a violent manifestation of the rejection of the right of the Jewish people to a state in our ancestral home—a rejection that runs deep within Palestinian society.
As Prime Minister Carney himself has noted, a Palestinian state must be a Zionist state. Today’s announcement undermines that objective and gives Hamas and other Palestinian rejectionists a sense of victory. This will only make it harder to secure the release of hostages and build a better future for Israelis and Palestinians.
This is the message that tens of thousands of community members have shared with the government in recent weeks, through emails and phone calls via CIJA’s Action Hub. And it's the message we have consistently shared with the government, culminating in a direct discussion last week with the Prime Minister and Jewish Federation leaders.
While today’s announcement does not come as a surprise, the details are important. The government has stated that, while it is extending recognition, normalization of relations with a “state of Palestine” is an ongoing, long-term process.
Just as we have been vocal in opposing recognition, we will stand with moral clarity when it comes to normalization. We will argue that this must not proceed so long as hostages are in tunnels, Hamas remains in power, and the Palestinian leadership rejects Israel's existence as a Jewish state.
And we will continue to make it clear that, with anti-Jewish hate escalating, our government must recognize the unintended effect foreign policy has on the climate in our own country. Hamas sees international recognition of Palestinian statehood as “the fruits of October 7th.” So too do extremists who are targeting our Canadian Jewish community and threatening our democracy.
Our government’s core responsibility is to protect Canadians. As we work with parliamentarians from all parties to advance concrete measures to safeguard our community, we will continue to advocate for a principled and practical Canadian foreign policy.
May the new year bring the safe return of our hostages, security and peace for Israel and all in the region who are victims of terror, and safety and strength for our Jewish community and all Canadians.
Shana Tova,
Noah Shack
CEO, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs