FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jewish community applauds Toronto City Council's condemnation of fallacious term "Israeli Apartheid"
TORONTO, 7 June 2012 – B’nai Brith Canada has commended Toronto City Council members on the passage of a motion condemning the use of the fallacious term "Israeli Apartheid" at Toronto’s Pride parade. The term has been used by Queers Against Israeli Apartheid, an anti-Israel protest group that plans to participate in this summer's parade, in reference to the State of Israel. B'nai Brith is anticipating Toronto City Council's upcoming anti-discrimination policy debate where it hopes the policy will be revised to prevent the use of the term "Israeli Apartheid" at taxpayer-funded events.
Upon passage of the motion at today’s Toronto City Council session, Frank Dimant, CEO of B’nai Brith Canada issued the following statement:
“Queers Against Israeli Apartheid’s participation in Pride Toronto not only defies logic, berating the sole Middle East country that fully welcomes the LGBT community, but also runs counter to the original philosophy of the parade itself, a celebration of diversity and acceptance. The passage of this motion condemning the use of the term “Israeli Apartheid" at Pride has signaled to Toronto, and indeed the entire country, that hate and intolerance are not welcome at Canada’s largest Pride festival. This is an important step as the City of Toronto joins numerous other Canadian government voices in recognizing that the "Israeli Apartheid" label is fallacious and divisive."
For more information: communications@bnaibrith.ca
B’nai Brith Canada has been active in Canada since 1875 as the Jewish community’s foremost human rights agency.
