Leading Jewish group calls on Montreal to reject ‘dishonest’ motion to cut ties with Israel

B’nai Brith Canada is calling on the City Council of Montreal to reject a motion by opposition party Projet Montréal to cut institutional ties with the State of Israel, calling it “divisive” and “deceitful.”

In an open letter seen by National Post, B’nai Brith Canada accuses Projet Montréal of “explosive falsehoods” in the labelling of Israel as an “apartheid” regime and accusing its government of “genocide,” adding that the motion contains “calculated lies and extreme characterizations.”

“For the City of Montreal to weigh into this conflict would be inappropriate and exacerbate tensions between communities,” the letter reads. “It is not in the city’s purview to dictate foreign policy for its residents, as our federal leaders are elected to do that, and no other elected officials are charged with that mandate.”

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In an interview with National Post, B’nai Brith Canada regional director for Quebec, Paola Samuel, emphasized that this motion is not just an issue for Jewish Montrealers.

“This is an issue for all Montrealers,” she said. “It’s inappropriate for (the City of Montreal) to weigh in on an issue that has nothing to do with everyday Montrealers…city councillors are elected to run the city, rather than be distracted by things that are lies and dishonest and not factually correct. Every single Montrealer should be concerned about this.”

The motion was introduced by Projet Montréal on June 4 , and called on the city council to “recognize and denounce the apartheid regime in Palestine and the genocide being perpetrated there, and affirm solidarity with Palestinians and other civilian victims of hostilities in the Middle East.”

This would include suspending institutional ties with Israel’s current government by not inviting representatives of the state to official events held at city hall “until Israel returns to its internationally recognized borders, ceases its violations of the rights of the Palestinian people, and ends its violations of international law.”