Photo from Wikimedia Commons. B’nai Brith Canada launched a petition on June 24 calling on York University in Toronto to take action against a professor for equating Zionism with white supremacy.
According to a press release from B’nai Brith Canada, York University Osgoode Hall Law Professor Faisal Bhabha said during a June 10 panel that Zionism is just “Jewish supremacy.” He later doubled down, saying, “I am equating Zionism with white supremacy.” Bhabha also said it was possible that Israel is “exaggerating the Holocaust.”
“The notion that Zionism, which merely calls for Jewish statehood in the Jewish homeland — no different than most other national movements — is a uniquely evil form of ‘supremacy,’ is a false and dangerous allegation,” the petition stated. “Mr. Bhabha’s twisting of Zionism rhetorically transforms hundreds of thousands of Canadian Jews into ‘Jewish supremacists.’ ”
Additionally, Bhabha’s Holocaust comment “is likely to sow hatred and division when no basis for it exists.”
The petition concluded with a call for York University to remove Bhabha from teaching any human rights courses.
“Any version of human rights that does not include a firm rejection of anti-Semitism is ethically and morally bankrupt,” the petition stated. “Students at York University and Osgoode Hall Law School deserve better.”
B’nai Brith Canada CEO Michael Mostyn said in a statement, “Now is the time for York to show that its commitment to fighting anti-Semitism includes concrete actions, not just words. In our opinion, someone who believes that the vast majority of Canadian Jews subscribe to ‘Jewish supremacy’ and that the Jewish State might ‘plausibly’ have exaggerated the Holocaust is clearly unfit to teach anyone about human rights.”
The university did not respond to the Journal’s request for comment.
On June 2, York University President and Vice Chancellor Rhonda Lenton announced that the university would be taking measures to address anti-Semitism on campus after violence broke out during protests against a pro-Israel speaking event in November. The measures included adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism and making it clear when protests stop being peaceful.
“York is not immune from anti-Semitism, nor are we unique in grappling with its manifestations within our community,” Lenton said. “The University has been clear: we condemn anti-Semitism in all its forms, just as we condemn Islamophobia, anti-Black racism, anti-Asian racism, anti-Indigenous racism, and any discrimination and hate based on national origin, race, religion, creed, ability, gender, or sexual orientation.”
She added: “We cannot police the beliefs of our community members, but we can strengthen our policies and procedures to protect our community from abhorrent views and actions. We also have an important role to play in addressing discrimination through research and education.”
UPDATE: York University chief spokesperson Barbara Joy said in a statement to the Journal on June 26, “We deeply value and encourage a diversity of opinion and thought in our university community while recognizing that free speech has limits. The right to free expression does not extend to words and deeds that incite hatred or violence and we have zero tolerance for hate or racism.”
She added: “At the same time, York considers the privilege afforded by academic freedom as vitally important to robust and respectful dialogue – perhaps especially on topics where there is strong disagreement. Universities play a central role in creating a place where difficult world issues can be discussed and where people hopefully learn from each other and work towards solutions. The University expects all community members to actively engage in our shared responsibility to uphold and promote the values of respect, equity, diversity and inclusion across our campuses. “
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