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Photo: Reuters
Elizabeth May
Photo: Reuters

Canadian Green Party endorses BDS amid strong objection from leader

Many in the party object to the measure, saying it 'singles out Israelis,' contains 'anti-Semitic code words' and is 'polarizing'; party leader: 'the party policy on this issue is a position I can’t support'; member who tabled resolution: 'We took a brave stand for human rights.'

Canada's Green Party voted on Sunday to add the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement (BDS) to their official party policy, but the party remains deeply divided over the issue.

 

 

According to media reports in the country, the resolution passed despite much contention within the party and the objection of its leader, Elizabeth May, who said she would rather support "action that can work." She also told a workshop meeting about the policy that she would rather not lead a party that had endorsed BDS.

  

Former Green party candidate Richard Zurawski called the vote "destructive for the party," while another member worried it's not time for the Greens to be "more polarizing."

 

Green Party leader Elizabeth May (Photo: Reuters)
Green Party leader Elizabeth May (Photo: Reuters)

 

"Every country has its issues," Zurawski said. "When we specifically single out Israelis, I worry about the buzzwords and subtext and code language, which is anti-Semitic."

 

The Green Party is the most supportive among Canadian political parties of the Palestinian cause. It supports a two-state solution and Israel's right to exist.

 

There was an attempt to amend the resolution during the party's biennial national convention in Ottawa, altering the wording to say that the Greens supported "effective means" for a peaceful solution and "such effective means may include facilitating negotiations, use of diplomatic sanctions, and consumer action by concerned citizenry." But that effort was struck down.

 

"I’m deeply disappointed," party leader May said after the vote. "The party policy on this issue is a position I can’t support," she added, saying BDS tactics were ineffective and "polarizing."

 

Not all members objected to the motion. "I've never felt prouder to be a member of this party," said Dimitri Lascaris, who tabled the resolution. "We took a brave stand today for human rights."

 

Another foreign policy resolution raised at the convention sought to call upon the Canada Revenue Agency to revoke the charitable status of the Jewish National Funds over allegations it had planted trees on the ruins of Palestinian villages.

 

May opposed this motion as well, and a compromise was reached according to which the resolution would call to revoke the charitable status of any organization complicit in human-rights violations.

 

In February, the Canadian parliament endorsed a motion condemning any groups or individuals supporting BDS. While the motion was proposed by the Conservative Party, it received significant support from the Liberals as well.

 


פרסום ראשון: 08.08.16, 16:44
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