The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) said it was shocked and hurt by Capital Pride saying it stood with Palestine. By making anti-Israel policy a centrepiece of Capital Pride, CIJA said it “creates a climate where Jews are targeted, unwelcome and unsafe.”“Pride is supposed to embrace the diverse backgrounds of the (sexual minority) community and should not ask anyone to leave part of their cultural, ancestral, heritage or religious identity at the door to feel secure, upheld, protected and included,” tweeted CIJA on Thursday. “Claims of ‘pinkwashing’ and accusing Jews and Israelis of insidiously feigning queer rights in order to divert attention from the conflict between Hamas and Israel is morally reprehensible and employs some of the oldest antisemitic tropes in the book.”.It said sexual minority Jews and Israelis have long been isolated as they fight for recognition, marriage equality, gender-affirming healthcare, societal support, and other initiatives. It added invalidating and discrediting the lived experiences of sexual minority Jews and Israelis while politicizing their identities is harmful. The Jewish community has supported Pride for a long time. This includes by co-charing the All Blood Is Equal coalition to repeal the blood ban for men who have sex with men, providing testimony in the House of Commons to ban conversion therapy, and lobbying for marriage equality. “We urge Capital Pride to engage with Ottawa’s Jewish community to address antisemitism, offer meaningful solidarity and to rectify their stance, beginning with an immediate apology,” said CIJA. Capital Pride had said part of the rise in Islamophobia people are witnessing is fuelled by pinkwashing of the Israel-Hamas War and racist notions all Palestinians are homophobic and transphobic. “By portraying itself as a protector of the rights of queer and trans people in the Middle East, Israel seeks to draw attention away from its abhorrent human rights abuses against Palestinians,” it said.“We refuse to be complicit in this violence.”If it withheld its solidarity with Palestinians to uphold sexual minority rights, it said it betrays the liberation guiding its work. The actions it committed to were integrating resources such as the Palestinian BDS National Committee’s boycott list in its existing review process of current and future sponsorship agreements, hosting an event about ongoing issues faced by sexual minority Arabs, recognizing the genocide Palestinians are facing in its opening remarks, and working with partners to push for an immediate, permanent ceasefire. This ordeal comes after Harvey’s Home Heating (HHH) said on July 3 it would be cancelling Pride on the Pier and its partnership in the St. John’s Pride Parade because of an affiliate company’s support for Israel. READ MORE: Home heating company blames St. John’s Pride decision on anti-Israel groupWhile HHH was going to hold Pride on the Pier, it said it was not consulted about the decision to restrict its affiliated company and the impact it would have. “In addition, Harvey’s Home Heating was not warned of such a possibility when the sponsorship agreement was reached months ago,” said HHH.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) said it was shocked and hurt by Capital Pride saying it stood with Palestine. By making anti-Israel policy a centrepiece of Capital Pride, CIJA said it “creates a climate where Jews are targeted, unwelcome and unsafe.”“Pride is supposed to embrace the diverse backgrounds of the (sexual minority) community and should not ask anyone to leave part of their cultural, ancestral, heritage or religious identity at the door to feel secure, upheld, protected and included,” tweeted CIJA on Thursday. “Claims of ‘pinkwashing’ and accusing Jews and Israelis of insidiously feigning queer rights in order to divert attention from the conflict between Hamas and Israel is morally reprehensible and employs some of the oldest antisemitic tropes in the book.”.It said sexual minority Jews and Israelis have long been isolated as they fight for recognition, marriage equality, gender-affirming healthcare, societal support, and other initiatives. It added invalidating and discrediting the lived experiences of sexual minority Jews and Israelis while politicizing their identities is harmful. The Jewish community has supported Pride for a long time. This includes by co-charing the All Blood Is Equal coalition to repeal the blood ban for men who have sex with men, providing testimony in the House of Commons to ban conversion therapy, and lobbying for marriage equality. “We urge Capital Pride to engage with Ottawa’s Jewish community to address antisemitism, offer meaningful solidarity and to rectify their stance, beginning with an immediate apology,” said CIJA. Capital Pride had said part of the rise in Islamophobia people are witnessing is fuelled by pinkwashing of the Israel-Hamas War and racist notions all Palestinians are homophobic and transphobic. “By portraying itself as a protector of the rights of queer and trans people in the Middle East, Israel seeks to draw attention away from its abhorrent human rights abuses against Palestinians,” it said.“We refuse to be complicit in this violence.”If it withheld its solidarity with Palestinians to uphold sexual minority rights, it said it betrays the liberation guiding its work. The actions it committed to were integrating resources such as the Palestinian BDS National Committee’s boycott list in its existing review process of current and future sponsorship agreements, hosting an event about ongoing issues faced by sexual minority Arabs, recognizing the genocide Palestinians are facing in its opening remarks, and working with partners to push for an immediate, permanent ceasefire. This ordeal comes after Harvey’s Home Heating (HHH) said on July 3 it would be cancelling Pride on the Pier and its partnership in the St. John’s Pride Parade because of an affiliate company’s support for Israel. READ MORE: Home heating company blames St. John’s Pride decision on anti-Israel groupWhile HHH was going to hold Pride on the Pier, it said it was not consulted about the decision to restrict its affiliated company and the impact it would have. “In addition, Harvey’s Home Heating was not warned of such a possibility when the sponsorship agreement was reached months ago,” said HHH.
