TORONTO (December 6, 2017) – Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) condemnsthe passing of a Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) resolution by theOshawa Federal NDP Riding Association, and is asking the federal NDP to not putforward support for the BDS movement.

FSWCcontacted the Oshawa Federal NDP Riding Association directly to protest thematter after the resolution was passed on Sunday at the Association’s annualgeneral meeting. The resolution calls for a debate at the upcoming Federal NDPConvention regarding whetherboycotting specific companies that operate in the West Bank should becomenational party policy. 

"Clearly,those who approved the resolution are under the misconception that boycottingIsraeli companies is an appropriate NDP policy,” said FSWC President and CEOAvi Benlolo. “In fact, it is a misguided and misinformed position, as the BDSmovement is often used as a cover for antisemitism and can greatly impact thelives of both Israelis and Palestinians. Such discussions are extremelydivisive and do not lead to the betterment of the lives of Canadians.”

FSWChas been in communication with the federal NDP leadership to offer resourceswhich could provide a more informed view.

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Media Contact: 

Avital Borisovsky  
Communications Associate      
416.864.9735 x 29 
aborisovsky@fswc.ca

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Follow us on Twitter at @CanadianFSWC for latest news and organization updates.

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Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) is a top Jewish human rights foundation in Canada's organized Jewish community. It directly impacts over 100,000 people each year and 500,000+ peripherally. FSWC is committed to countering racism and antisemitism and to promoting the principles of tolerance, social justice and Canadian democratic values through advocacy and educational programs including workshops, Freedom Day, Spirit of Hope Benefit, Tools for Tolerance and the widely acclaimed Tour for Humanity. FSWC is affiliated with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an international Jewish human rights organization headquartered in Los Angeles which has won two Academy Awards, has built two Museums of Tolerance (with a third being built in Jerusalem) and is an NGO at the United Nations, UNESCO, OAS, OSCE, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament. Visit us at www.fswc.ca. 

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