In response to the Government of Canada rejecting Amnesty International's recent report on Israel, FSWC President and CEO Michael Levitt issued the following statement:

Despite repeated attempts by Amnesty International and other organizations to attack Israel with false accusations of "apartheid" and "ethnic cleansing," it is encouraging to see nations, including Canada, categorically opposing such outrageous and hateful rhetoric.

Last week, Amnesty International released a report accusing Israel of committing apartheid against Palestinians, among other absurd and wrongful claims. This report came as we continue to see Israel's democracy in action, with Jews and Arabs alike attending Israeli universities, voting during elections, and serving in the judiciary and Knesset. Even the leader of Israel's Arab party stated yesterday that he rejects the "apartheid" label for Israel.

In response to the report, the Canadian government made clear this week that Canada "rejects the view that Israel’s actions constitute apartheid" and is a "steadfast ally of Israel and friend of the Palestinian people." The Conservative Party has also denounced Amnesty's attack on Israel in a statement from MPs Melissa Lantsman and Marty Morantz.

We at FSWC commend the Canadian government for its categorical rejection of Amnesty International’s Israeli "apartheid" smear, joining other countries such as the US, the UK and Germany in standing up against this one-sided report that demonizes and delegitimizes the Jewish state. As we witness burgeoning relations between Israel and Arab nations, we must continue to focus our efforts on building lasting peace in the Middle East, not sowing the seeds of further division.