March 27, 2008

Alliance of Concerned Jewish Canadians
Media Release

Jewish Alliance Condemns Feiglin Visit

The Alliance of Concerned Jewish Canadians is troubled by the visit to Canada this Thursday by extremist Israeli politician Moshe Feiglin who is to attend a $180 a plate fundraising dinner for the Jewish Defence League, an extremist organization with questionable links. This will be Feiglin's second visit to Canada in the past year.  Earlier this month, the leader of the extremist "Jewish Leadership" faction of Likud was banned from the United Kingdom by British Home Secretary Jaqui Smith because, in the estimation of the British government, Feiglin is "seeking to provoke others to serious criminal acts and fostering hatred which might lead to inter-community violence in the UK." [1] Of particular concern to the British government were calls by Feiglin for a "War now! A holy war, now" along with other incendiary statements.

We call on the Jewish community and its leading organizations to summarily reject Feiglin's presence here and to refuse to extend to him any support or welcome. Unfortunately, instead of condemning him, groups like the Canada-Israel Committee have welcomed Feiglin's visit with spokesperson Simon Fogel telling the Globe and Mail this week, "He participates in the Israeli democratic process and he's part of a legitimate political party. I have a lot of confidence in Israel's ability to vet the propriety of those who participate in the political process there."[3]

"There is no place in the Jewish community for fascists," said ACJC co-chair Andy Lehrer, who conducted an investigation of the JDL last year. "That such a hateful organization is having a public meeting in a synagogue is incompatible with Jewish principles. Most Jews unequivocally reject the extremists of the Jewish Defence League."

Feiglin has advocated the revocation of Israeli citizenship from non-Jews and the large scale deportation of Palestinians resident in Israel. Feiglin has been described as a "Jewish fascist" by former Israeli cabinet minister, Tommy Lapid.[4]<

He has also made numerous hateful and contemptuous statements about Palestinians, saying for instance that "[y]ou can't teach a monkey to speak and you can't teach an Arab to be democratic. You're dealing with a culture of thieves and robbers. Muhammad, their prophet, was a robber and a killer and a liar. The Arab destroys everything he touches.[5]<

Tragically, Feiglin's brand of extremism is rapidly becoming mainstream in Israel. Feiglin has twice contested the leadership of the Likud party coming in second place with 23.4 percent of the votes in the 2007 leadership primary ­ double the level of support he enjoyed 18 months previously.

The Jewish Defence League is described by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States as a "right-wing terrorist group".[6]

In 2001 JDL Chairman Irv Rubin and his west coast organizer Earl Krugel were arrested for plotting to bomb a mosque and the office of a Lebanese-American US Congressman. Krugel pled guilty while Rubin committed suicide while awaiting trial. ACJC is an umbrella organization of Canadian Jewish groups who demand Israel's withdrawal from the occupied Territories and Gaza and believe Canadian Jews should play a larger role in supporting and promoting a peaceful and just solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

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Dear Mr Feiglin: British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith's letter 07/03/2008
          

I am writing to advise you that following the London bombings in July 2005, the Home Secretary announced a list of particular activities that would normally lead to a person being excluded or deported from the UK on the grounds that their presence in the United Kingdom is not conducive to the public good. The list of unacceptable behaviours covers any non-UK national whether in the UK or abroad who uses any means or medium including:

- writing, producing, publishing or distributing material;

- public speaking including preaching;

- running a website;

- using a position of responsibility such as a teacher, community or youth leader

To express views that:

- foment or justify terrorist violence in furtherance of particular beliefs;

- seek to provoke others to terrorist acts;

- foment other serious criminal activity or seek to provoke others to serious criminal acts;

- foster hatred which might lead to inter-community violence in the UK.

The Home Secretary has considered whether, in light of this list, you should be excluded from the United Kingdom. After careful consideration, she has personally directed that you should be excluded from the United Kingdom on the grounds that your presence here would not be conducive to the public good. She has reached this decision because you have used your position to propagate views which foment and provoke others to serious criminal acts and also foster hatred which might lead to inter-community violence in the UK. This has brought you within the scope of the list of unacceptable behaviours.

The Home Secretary notes that you have made the following statements:

"In order to declare that we are right, we have to declare war. War now! It's not the Arabs who are murdering mothers, but those merciful people who gave weapons to the murderers. It's not the Arabs who are burning babies, but the peaceniks that recognised the justice of the Arabs cause. It's not the cruel people who are bombing us, but the merciful people who showed them mercy. War now! A holy war, now"

"War Now" article by you, quoted on Channel 7 Israel National website.

"The Christian world is faced with two options: it can fight against terror, which means fighting against Islam, or it can surrender and be gradually overcome by the waves of the modern Moslem Jihad. Arabs are not sons of the desert but its father. They created the desert - everywhere they come vegetation stops and the wind blows everything away"

Extract from an article by you quoted on the "Israel Science and Technology Homepage.

"The basis of Islam is not the quality of mercy but of justice. If Christianity bridges the gap between sin and morals by automatic benevolence and absolution (that over long periods were sold by clergy), Islam does this in a far simpler way - it abolishes both benevolence and morals. Their holy Muhammed is strong, cruel and deceitful."

In expressing such views, it is considered that you are seeking to provoke others to serious criminal acts and fostering hatred which might lead to inter-community violence in the UK.

The Home Secretary considers that should you be allowed to enter the UK, you would continue to espouse such views, which would not be conducive to the public good in the UK.

In light of these factors, the Home Secretary is satisfied you should be excluded from the UK on the grounds that your exclusion is conducive to the public good. You are advised not to travel to the UK as you will be refused admission on arrival. Although there is no statutory right of appeal against the Home Secretary's decision, this decision is reviewed
every three years.

Yours sincerely,

On behalf of the Secretary of the State for the Home Department

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