The war between Israel and Hamas, a recognized terrorist organization in this country that happens to govern Gaza, has prompted many groups and individuals to come out of the woodwork demanding the eradication of Israel and often, by extension, the slaughter of Jews.
Words like colonialists and accusations of Israel being an apartheid state can be heard on Canadian streets, shouted from university and college campuses, and propagated on social media.
Most people have no idea and don’t understand what’s really going on and that the division and the strife in that land has existed for ages, long before the creation of the State of Israel, said Parry Sound—Muskoka Member of Parliament Scott Aitchison. “Fast forward to the establishment of the State of Israel and it was immediately attacked by its Arab neighbours, by people who fundamentally do not believe it has a right to exist.”
Aitchison recently visited Israel and the West Bank and we asked him what his impression was of his short visit, a visit he said he’d like to repeat soon. “From what I can tell is this: Israel is a fairly modern state that is economically, socially, and culturally incredibly viable and it’s actually a remarkably inclusive society,” he said. People don’t understand that Israel wants peace and that this latest situation with Hamas is with a terrorist organization that does not care about the lives of Palestinians. They are backed by Iran, which supports terrorist-related activities. “War is a horrible thing but terrorism is worse,” said Aitchison.
He blamed the destruction and death in Gaza squarely on Hamas. “Hamas has used Gaza hospitals, people’s homes, and innocent civilians to launch their attacks and they will use civilians as human shields because they don’t care about human life…,” he added.
As for repeated calls from the international community for a ceasefire, “How do you have a ceasefire with a terrorist organization,” he questioned. Aitchison agreed with the concept of humanitarian pauses in order to get children and people unrelated to Hamas out. “And I think that effort should continue but people that are calling for a ceasefire don’t know what they’re asking for. They don’t know what they’re calling for. Hamas is a terrorist organization dedicated completely and totally to killing Jews and destroying the Israeli State. You cannot have a ceasefire with an organization like that.”
Parry Sound—Muskoka MP Scott Aitchison at the Western Wall during his visit to Israel in July.
He spoke of the geopolitical conflicts in the area, particularly during the Cold War as superpowers attempted to gain supremacy in the Middle East, and said Israel was often used as a pawn. “The conflict in Israel is centuries old and I just wish everybody could just step back and just say, you know what, this was an arid piece of dirt before Israel was established and started to apply technology and innovation and entrepreneurship to this land. You can tell where the border is between Israel and its neighbours, it’s where the green ends. Israel is slowly making peace with its nighbours. It is making peace with water, it’s amazing. They’re pumping water into Jordan, you know, they’re helping,” he said. He referred to countries in the region that refuse to make peace with Israel as failed states run by terrorist organizations.
“So what do we expect? Self-respecting nations that actually try to serve their people like Jordan, like Egypt, I mean they’ve made peace.” Aitchison said during his visit to the West Bank he met a number of Palestinian leaders and individuals some are profoundly against Israel, while others have made peace with Israel and just want to live their lives. “Many of them have great jobs and a great life, they just want peace.”
Aitchison also said he does not understand the rise in antisemitism here at home. “I fundamentally do not understand it. It makes no sense to me but it is clear that it is rooted in centuries-old hatred. It certainly has no place in Canada.”
He said it is important for Canadians to remember that regardless of their background, ethnicity, nationality, or whatever part of the world they came from, they are Canadians now. “And that hatred, from wherever you may have been from, does not belong here. It has no place here. It has no place anywhere in the world but if you’re a Canadian, you’re a Canadian!”
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Scott made it clear when I spoke to him on this issue that his mind’s made up as he wouldn’t engage with me on any points I raised. He’s since asked that I make “intelligent arguments” so here’s my attempt at adding some necessary colour to some of the claims in this piece (extracts from it are in quotes):
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“Words like colonialists and accusations of Israel being an apartheid state can be heard on Canadian streets”
This is presented as if it’s some kind of fantasy, but a UN rights expert has called it an apartheid: https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/03/1114702
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“They are backed by Iran, which supports terrorist-related activities”
This is true but it’s also true that Israel has funded and propped-up Hamas as a useful adversary to other Palestinian organizations like the PLO, because they (Likud) don’t want a two state solution and would rather the Palestinian enclaves be divided under their control.
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“War is a horrible thing but terrorism is worse”
By what measure? Because at least 13,000 Palestinians have died and more than 30,000 have been injured. Huntsville’s population is a little over 20,000 for context. War can also be terror when not waged humanely.
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“He blamed the destruction and death in Gaza squarely on Hamas”
An example to show that it wasn’t all peaceful before October 7th: Just 1 day before Hamas’ brutal attack on that day, the Israeli military killed a 19yr old Palestinian student in the West Bank during an Israeli settler action. It’s convenient to say this all started with Hamas on October 7 but that betrays your claim that you understand the history here and people’s motivations on both sides. PM Netanyahu had a tenuous grip on power before October 7th, and this war is only serving to keep him there, which he of course wants as he’s shown by spurning offers of hostage releases. Maybe we should also consider the political motivations in this “destruction and death”?
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinian-killed-during-settler-assault-west-bank-town-palestinian-officials-2023-10-06/
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“How do you have a ceasefire with a terrorist organization”
There was a ceasefire in 2021: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Israel–Palestine_crisis
Ultimately, though, a ceasefire needs to be followed by an earnest attempt at peace & reconciliation and that’s something that Israel needs to start as the overwhelming military power in this current conflict.
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“people that are calling for a ceasefire don’t know what they’re asking for. They don’t know what they’re calling for”
We’re calling for an end to the immediate bloodshed so that actual diplomatic work can be done. This conflict won’t end militarily. If you think it will, you’re advocating for a genocide because it’s a completely one-sided affair. That would only make Israel’s position more tenuous as survivors live on with animosity and the global population continues to question Israel’s motives.
Let’s flip this: Do you know what you’re calling for in cheering on Israel’s current strategy? Because one must only look to the disastrous wars of the US in the Middle East to see where that will lead.
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“this was an arid piece of dirt before Israel was established”
I don’t know what to say to this other than it’s a horrible and derogatory comment aimed at the people who lived on that land before the formation of Israel (which, yes, included Jewish people living alongside Arabs).
The bit after that about “applying technology” and “entrepreneurship” to that “wasteland” leaves out the fact that Israel has received massive amounts of transfers from foreign governments, like from the US between 1946-2022 amounting to $318 billion. Let’s give credit where it’s due!
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“Self-respecting nations that actually try to serve their people like Jordan, like Egypt, I mean they’ve made peace”
This implies that Palestinians aren’t self-respecting and denies them their history of oppression and Israel’s hand in it. It also implies that they’ve had a free and fair say in their government when they have not. You make it sound like they’ve had a say in their current predicament.
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“Aitchison also said he does not understand the rise in antisemitism here at home”
Anti-semitism is absolutely a problem, but you’re framing opposition to Israel’s current strategy as anti-semitism which is hugely problematic. For one, it waters down the meaning of anti-semitism and does a disservice to those here at home who are at risk of it and are seeing actual hate and incitement. Standing up for human dignity & rights against oppression can never qualify as anti-semitism. If you’re trying to paint solidarity protests with this broad brush, which it certainly seems like you are, you’re being very disingenuous.
You are totally correct.just look at a map of that area. I would say the Arab nations have a huge chunk of the pie and look at the little bit of land is Israel.
War is horrible we all know that, however Israel did not start this, Hemas use extremely cowardly tactics.
Thank you for sharing your opinion.
Totally agree. If your Canadian, your Canadian and democracy is our way of life. We live and fully support this way of life and of coarse support those wanting the same. If u don’t, u shouldn’t be immigrating here, becoming a Canadian citizen expecting different. We are free to choose how we live, but if u do not agree with how we live, why come here. Freedom of choice should be everyone’s option, not at gun point!
Absolutely the blame for this horror story needs to be planted squarely on hamas. Using hospitals and general population communities to hide behind has always been their way. They are terrorists – they do not care how many children or families die – in fact they use that as a reason to stir hate. If Isreal stepped away from the battle – do you really think peace would happen?? Hamas is a terrorist group, terror, death and disruption are their goals.