Tell Montreal City Councillors - no IHRA, Again!

Take action now to defend Palestine solidarity in Montreal

Reject the dangerously misleading IHRA antisemitism definition.

We are asking our members and supporters, especially if you live in Montreal, to take a moment and send a letter to city councillors and Mayor Valerie Plante explaining your opposition to the IHRA’s redefinition of antisemitism. Demand that they vote against adopting the IHRA in Montreal.

If you are Jewish, we encourage you to mention that in your letter.

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Dear Mayor Valerie Plante and Montreal City Councillors

I am writing you today because I am deeply concerned that Montreal's city council could be called to vote on April 19 on whether or not to adopt the dangerously misleading International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) antisemitism definition.

I would first like to express my gratitude and appreciation for taking up the issue of antisemitism in Montreal. Indeed, in a political climate so rife with extremism and continued polarization, we must do everything within our power to speak out against antisemitism and other forms of racism and prejudice. But the IHRA definition is not the way to fight antisemitism. In fact, as the record shows, the IHRA only serves to undermine the fight against antisemitism by conflating real antisemitism with legitimate protest and criticism of Israel.

Make no mistake, this divisive and contentious re-definition is designed by the Israel lobby to threaten and silence residents who support Palestinian rights or criticize Israel's discrimination and violence against Palestinians. It is no coincidence that over 25 civil society groups have recently released an open letter to publicly state their opposition to the adoption of the IHRA definition by the city of Montreal.

In January, Israel's leading human rights organization, B'tselem, issued an explosive report that Israel is an apartheid state due to its treatment of Palestinians. This important development puts the largest and most renowned Israeli human rights organization at odds with the IHRA definition and bolsters our case against the definition’s adoption.

If the IHRA re-definition of antisemitism is passed, Montrealers who speak out on Israel or plan to support Palestinian rights will be open to defamation as antisemites, and face municipal and academic sanctions or worse. We know this because both CIJA and B’nai Brith - the two main pro-Israel organizations in Canada supporting the IHRA campaign - have already shown their willingness to weaponize the IHRA definition against Canadians.

It should be noted first and foremost that the IHRA definition was already withdrawn after widespread public opposition when it was proposed at the Montreal City Council in January, 2020. It has also been rejected by city councils in Vancouver and Calgary.

Public opinion, especially within the Jewish community, is shifting against the IHRA definition. Recently, the New Israel Fund of Canada withdrew its support for the definition, citing “worrying evidence” it will be used to suppress free speech by equating criticism of Israel with antisemitism. At the same time, a coalition of liberal and progressive Jewish organizations in the United States, including J Street, issued a joint call for the Biden administration to not put the IHRA definition into law, citing the same concerns.

We must stand against the censorship and suppression of advocacy for Palestinian rights, and we must recognize the devastating impact and the chilling effect the IHRA definition could have on the freedom of expression of human rights advocates and on Palestinians in Montreal.

I urge you to take strong measures to combat antisemitism, but not by adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism. I am calling on you to reject the IHRA definition, and I am confident that you will take this matter to heart.

Sincerely,