1. FSWC Questions Canadian Labour Congress 'Emergency Resolution' on Palestinian Prisoners

Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies is questioning a resolution passed today by the Canadian Labour Congress at its 2017 convention. The resolution is a mixed bag of false accusations leveled against Israel in relation to Palestinian prisoners. 

According to Avi Benlolo, President and CEO of FSWC: "The problem with this resolution is that it lacks context and instead levels defamatory accusations against Israel. Many of the prisoners in Israeli jails are responsible for coordinating suicide bombings and terror attacks that have killed many civilians. One recent conviction, for example, is of Mohammed Abdel Basset al-Kharoub who shot dead Ezra Schwartz, 18, Yaakov Don, 51, and Shadi Arafa, 24. The latter victim was a Palestinian from Hebron. 

Recent arrests of Palestinian terrorists have also included those involved in stabbing attacks and the usage of vehicles to run over civilians. We are wondering why the CLC is not speaking out against these atrocities and also expressing compassion for civilians and their families who have been harmed by these very same prisoners they are defending?"

2. Fake Kosher Cheese at Jewish SummerCamps in Kawarthas Leads to Criminal Charges

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has laid charges against CreationFoods and its vice-president, Kefir Sadiklar, forselling cheddar cheese fraudulently described as “kosher” to Jewish summercamps in Ontario’s central Kawarthas region in June 2015. The CFIA allegesthat Sadiklar forged documents which made it appear that the cheese adhered toJewish dietary laws. If found guilty, Sadiklar could face heavy fines, and evenjail time. The camps affected were Camp Moshava in Ennismore, Ontario and CampNorthland-B’nai Brith in Haliburton, Ontario. Both camps are strictly kosher –in line with standard practice across most Jewish summer camps in Canada.

3. FSWC Welcomes Medical Journal’s RecentIssue on Israel’s Health Care System

The Lancet – a British medical journal that wascriticized for publishing an open letter critiquing Israel’s role in the 2014Gaza war and accusing the country of war crimes – has had a recent change ofheart. On Monday, it published an issue showcasingIsrael’s achievements in medicine following the editor’s trip to the country. FSWCreleased a statement welcoming this news, with our Doctors4Wiesenthalmembers commending The Lancet’seditor for taking this step to educate himself. “This represents a significantturnaround and a very significant step in the right direction,” says Dr. MarkKorman. “It is proof that education can work.”

4. Revealed: The Associated Press’ Secret Deal withNazi Germany

The Associated Press has revealed a dark and long-held secret from theWorld War II era – aU.S. authorized deal with SS officials to obtain pictures taken by Naziphotographers that were then widely distributed to American media outlets.The unprecedented – and previously unknown – agreement began during the heightof Nazi Germany’s power in 1941, and ended shortly before the fall of Hitler inthe spring of 1945. One expert on communications and Nazi propaganda, theUniversity of London’s Dr. Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, told The Washington Post, “One tries to justifythese things by saying the camera doesn’t lie. But Nazi cameras always lied.They were a colossal kind of fairy tale. None of these images are real. This ishow Hitler wanted to be seen.”

5. Turkey Still Allows Hamas to Operateon Turkish Territory

Ynetnews.comreports that despite Turkey’s reconciliation agreement with Israel, the Turkishgovernment has continued implicitly supporting the Palestinian terrorist groupHamas by allowing Hamas to operate openly on Turkish territory – including Hamas’ notoriousmilitary wing. Ynetnews alleges that Hamas uses Turkish territory to coordinateits terrorist operations in the West Bank – with the full implicit support ofthe highest levels of the Turkish government. This revelation comes just daysafter Turkish President Recep Erdogan made inflammatory marks regarding Israel,calling the Jewish State “racist” and pledging hissupport for a united Palestinian effort to “fight for rights and freedom.”

6. Washington Post: German Military Hasa Nazi Problem

In adisturbing report published yesterday, The WashingtonPost revealed that the German government has been struggling recentlyto control and identify growing far-right elements within the German military, and that several investigations haveled German officials to troubling discoveries – including Nazi-era memorabiliaon open display within German army barracks, and the apparent uncovering of afar-right terror plot involving a member of the German military. German societyas a whole has struggled with growing far-right sentiment in recent years - inpart due to the surging populist movement seen across much of Europe and NorthAmerica, and in part due to reactionary sentiments stirred by Germany’sunprecedented admittance of over one million primarily Muslim migrants in2015. 

7. FSWC at Work

Last weekalone, FSWC educators aboard FSWC’s state-of-the-art, award-winning mobilelearning classroom, the Tour for Humanity, reachedover 900 students in the northern Ontario communities of North Bay and Sudbury.This is in addition to the over 170 students FSWC hosted at our in-office Tom & Anna Koffler Tolerance Training Centre! This week,the Tour for Humanity has been delivering workshops to schools in Sault St.Marie as part of the second-leg of our trip to northern Ontario. FSWC takespride in delivering our award-winning tolerance and diversity educationalservices to young Canadians across the country -including in rural, remote and northern communities. These initiatives wouldnot be possible if it were not for the support from our generous community members like you!

PHILANTHROPY CORNER

FSWC is adesignated Canadian charitable organization that provides tax receipts forcharitable contributions. A donation to FSWC is tax deductible and provides anincredible footprint of direct action in our community. If you want to changelives and provide for positive community development, consider extending yourphilanthropy to Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center this fall. Make it count.