August 10, 2010

Originally published on July 28, 2010 in the Jewish Tribune. Origianl link http://www.jewishtribune.ca/TribuneV2/index.php/201007283275/Hamilton-Federation-waffles-on-fringe-group.html

Editor's note: From my contacts with people involved in interfaith dialogue groups, it seems that this type of scenario is very typical.  Representatives from the Jewish faith are there not for the dialogue but to promote the interests of Israel and accuse any of its critics of anti-Semitism.   It seems that right now in Hamilton, they are not getting their way as they are used to and have decided to play the outrage card and stay out of the discussions.

Hamilton Federation waffles on fringe group

          
Written by Joanne Hill    

The congenial image of a Hamilton interfaith group was detonated last year when one of its members published an inflammatory editorial that accused Israel of terrorism.  In the aftermath, the UJA Federation of Hamilton withdrew its representative and the group, called the Hamilton Muslim, Arab and Jewish Dialogue Committee, disbanded. However, this year a new coalition, called the Hamilton Dialogue Group, has risen from its ashes with an expanded membership, although UJA Federation has not signed up officially.

The original initiative was shattered after Ali Cheaib wrote in The Spectator that Israel was guilty of terrorism, barbarism and collective punishment against Gazans during Operation Cast Lead. He called Hamas “the rape child of a brutal occupier” and said of Israel, “the occupier, the assassin, the thief, the terrorist, the rapist must not be allowed to wear the victim’s clothes.”

Hussein Hamdani, a Hamilton lawyer and member of the Hamiliton Dialogue Group, told the Jewish Tribune in a telephone interview that its members represent 15 different communities and organizations, including Independent Jewish Voices (IJV). IJV is a fringe group that frequently participates in anti-Zionist protests and promotes the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against Israel. Most recently, it condemned the “attack on the Free Gaza flotilla.”

According to Gerald Fisher, executive director, UJA Federation of Hamilton, the IJV’s involvement is one of the main reasons why Federation has not applied for membership in the new group. In addition, Cheaib’s 2009 editorial is still a sore point. It “undermined the whole intent of being together and that issue has not yet been resolved. We’re waiting for their apology. We might be waiting a long time.”

Fisher said that, if UJA Federation of Hamilton were invited to join the new group, there would have to be a discussion and “first on the list would be we’re not sitting at the table with them [IJV].

According to Hamdani, Federation is, in fact, sitting at the table with the Dialogue Group and IJV, albeit unofficially.

Although Hamdani would only speak about the conflict between Federation and IJV off the record, he did say that, when the new group was formed, “Invitations were sent out to various communities and organizations.... An invitation was sent to the UJA Federation. A (UJA) representative has been at almost every meeting.” He added that one meeting “was held in the boardroom of the Federation office.”

“That really infuriated me,” said Rose Lax, president of Hadar – the Morris Lax Centre for pro-Israel activism. “My mother donated the book cases in that room in memory of my father and in memory of the Holocaust. It’s a disgrace.”

Hamdani described the Hamilton Dialogue Group as a loosely structured information network whose members represent local Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Jewish, Aboriginal and other organizations.   

Another group member, the Hamilton Presbytery of the United Church of Canada, is currently hosting an exhibit of photographs taken in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead. The exhibit was presented in association with the Palestinian Association of Hamilton and IJV Hamilton (see Anti-Israel photographic fizzle, Jewish Tribune, July 15, 2010). Hamdani said this was not a Dialogue Group event but it was discussed at meetings and members were asked to spread the word to their respective communities.

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Originally published in The Jewish Tribune

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