JSpaceCanada

STATEMENT:

JSpaceCanada Condemns Violent Hamas Incursion Into Israel

Our hearts are broken this morning as we awoke to news of the of infiltration of dozens of terrorists into communities near the Gaza border and a barrage rocket fire against Israeli cities. These attacks are unprecedented and indiscriminate. As we watch with horror, we pray for the safety of our friends and our families in Israel, on what is perhaps one of the bloodiest days of violence in a generation.

At least 70 Israelis have been killed, over 900 wounded (at time of publication), more kidnapped and held hostage, and far too many forever scarred by this blatant act of aggression by Hamas. Our thoughts and our prayers are with today’s victims.

We stand united in solidarity with the people of Israel in this dark hour, and we call upon the Government of Canada and our international allies to condemn this act of war brought upon the people of Israel.

On this dark day, we pray for Israel’s armed forces to defend her people with strength and courage.

We recall the words of the prophet Isaiah as we pray for an end to this conflict, that “nation shall not raise sword against nation, neither shall they learn war.”

JSpaceCanada Condemns Violent Hamas Incursion Into Israel Our hearts are broken this morning as we awoke to news of the of infiltration of dozens of terrorists into communities near the Gaza border and a barrage rocket fire against Israeli cities. These attacks are unprecedented and indiscriminate. As we watch with horror, we pray for the safety of our fri...

📢 ANNOUNCEMENT 📢

We are pleased to announce an exciting development that we believe will advance Canadian foreign policy discourse on the future of Israel-Palestine. Jon Allen, formerly Canada’s Ambassador to Israel, has joined the JSpaceCanada Policy Centre as Chair — the only policy group in Canada exclusively focused on driving Canadian solutions and leadership in this critical foreign policy arena.

At JSpaceCanada, we firmly believe in the power of pro-Israel, pro-peace, and pro-democracy advocacy to create meaningful change. Our Policy Centre serves as a hub for intellectual discussion and analysis to inform and educate elected officials, policymakers, and passionate advocates. With Jon Allen and a JSpaceCanada policy team at work on these issues, our mission takes an important step forward.

Jon brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to his new role. His career representing Canada in foreign affairs saw him serve as Assistant Deputy Minister (Americas), Minister (Political Affairs) at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, and Ambassador to Israel and Spain. His experience as Canada’s Ambassador to Israel, and his advocacy and not-for-profit activities since including as Chair of Project Rozana Canada, stand him in good stead as he assists JSpaceCanada to drive change in the Canadian policy discourse and establish Canada as a global leader in the pursuit of peace and stability in the region.

By convening and amplifying the work of diverse experts, the JSpaceCanada Policy Centre provides a vibrant platform for innovative ideas and insightful analysis. We are committed to moving beyond the mere description of challenges and actively driving forward diplomacy and conflict resolution. Together, we can forge a path towards a future of peace, democracy, and prosperity.
https://www.jspacecanada.ca/about_policy_centre

𝐉𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐚 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤

4000-plus units proposed for contested neighborhood will further endanger peace prospects.

JSpaceCanada has announced its strident opposition to news that Israel’s far-right governing coalition is set to announce significant expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank in defiance of the international community and in a move that will further set back the peace process.

“As a whole, Israel’s settlement enterprise in the West Bank has caused immense harm to the safety and security of both Israelis and Palestinians.” said JSpaceCanada Board Chair Joe Roberts, “this proposed expansion of settlements is designed to do nothing more than circumvent the prospect of a contiguous Palestinian territory and exacerbate violent conflicts between Israeli settlers and Palestinian communities.”

The plan seeks to build at least 4,000 units to expand several West Bank settlements. This comes following push-back from the far-right in response to the announcement that E1 construction is postponed. Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, of the Religious Zionist Party,a self-described “proud homophobe” who has made statements comparing the LGBTQ+ community to be******ty announced "we will have big news for the settlements in the West Bank imminently." The international community, including Canada, considers Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank illegal under international law.

“This far-right coalition’s plan is an intentional impediment to peace and is designed to undermine efforts from Israelis, Palestinians, and the international community who have been working to sustain the hope of a just, negotiated two state solution,” said Roberts, “And we call on the Netanyahu government to abandon such a disastrous course of action."

The plan is yet another policy that has led a sizeable majority of Canadian Jews to (59%) respond that Israel’s government is heading in the wrong direction according to a recent JSpaceCanada/New Israel Fund of Canada survey of Canadian Jews conducted by EKOS Research Associates and Dr. Robert Brym. That same poll found that settlement expansion and the prospect of “creeping annexation” is opposed by Canadian Jews by a margin of 2 to 1.
https://www.jspacecanada.ca/proposed_settlement_expansion_in_the_west_bank

JSpaceCanada Opposes Proposed Settlement Expansion in the occupied West Bank Toronto, ON - JSpaceCanada has announced its strident opposition to news that Israel’s far-right governing coalition is set to announce significant expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank in defiance of the international community and in a move that will further set back the peace proce...

On Israel's 75 anniversary of independence JSpaceCanada vice-chair Maytal Kowalski reflects on how we support - and fight for - this country.
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/patriotism-is-more-than-fireworks/

Patriotism is More Than Fireworks From the blog of Maytal Kowalski at The Times of Israel

Why are the architects of Israel's dangerous judicial overhaul being invited to speak at the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly?
We're standing in solidarity with our friends at UnXeptable - Saving the Israeli Democracy to tell the Jewish Federations of North America: 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗸𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗮𝗵𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗺𝗮𝗻'𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄!
https://www.jspacecanada.ca/jewish_federation_open_letter

It was an absolute pleasure to host Dr. Khalil Shikaki, director, Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research for an online discussion today about the trends in Palestinian society.

We discussed the future of the PA, what happens after Abbas, the feasibility of the two-state solution, and more.

You can check out the recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5pvIWT2E3o

Trends in Palestinian Society with Dr. Khalil Shikaki On Sunday, March 5 2023, JSpaceCanada hosted Dr. Khalil Shikaki, director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research to discuss the results of ...