Jewish students slam Canadian Federation of Students for approving Israel boycott

(JTA) — Jewish students and groups across Canada slammed the Canadian Federation of Students for approving a resolution supporting the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel.

The resolution passed on Monday at the federation’s annual meeting in Ottawa. The Canadian Federation of Students represents some 500,000 students throughout the country.

The resolution endorsed a statement that said “the ongoing occupation of Palestine be condemned,” and approved supporting “different Palestine-solidarity organizations,” according to the Canadian Jewish News. It also asked that “a statement be released to our membership condemning the recent atrocities against Palestinians in Gaza.”

Hillel Jewish student groups across Canada condemned the resolution.

“This latest call for a boycott of Israel is anti-academic, fueled by hatred and is counterproductive to peace. The motion is rife with factual inaccuracies and historical distortions. In its obsessive campaign against exclusively one country and one community, the CFS has further marginalized the thousands of Jewish students whom it is tasked with representing,” said a statement issued by the 17 Hillel’s across the country.

“Universities across Canada continue to reject boycotts of Israel and are instead deepening their ties with Israeli schools. In 2013, Canadian universities represented by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (now Universities Canada) signed an agreement with the Association of University Heads of Israel to facilitate, promote and support research collaboration and exchanges of faculty and students between both countries. To date, not a single university in North America has endorsed a boycott of Israel,” the statement also noted.

B’nai Brith Canada launched an online petition calling on the CFS to rescind the resolution.