Dear Editor, 

I am getting more worried for the safety of all Canadians. All of the “for Palestine” groups speak from the same script, and the actions of many of them should bring fear into the hearts of most Canadians.

The U of M and U of W encampments both closed, and the students indicated that they would continue to push for their “demands.”  Many similar encampments ended up with extreme vandalism and people being assaulted.

I saw a post by the group MB Health workers for Palestine, it says the nurses union  “would bring our demands to their board for review in September”. Faculty 4 Palestine uses the word “demands” numerous time on their homepage.  Students for Justice in Palestine say they “push forward demands”. There are many “for Palestine” groups that all say they make “demands”.

What have many of the “for Palestine” groups claimed responsibility for? Vandalism, riots, infesting hotels with maggots, and more.  They are also implicated by the graffiti left behind at many sites of arson and worse. In many places, they attack not only Jewish (not Israeli) sites but also government offices and businesses they believe support Zionists.

Pastor Martin Neimoller of Germany wrote a famous poem that read, in part, “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist….Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not Jewish….Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out”. 

Unless our government and police  enforce all laws, including those in the criminal code to the fullest and clearly state that they do not cede to “demands,” we will see the degradation of our civil society, and Canada, which I felt was safe a year ago, will become unsafe for anyone who does not cede to their “demands.” 

I hope and pray that I am wrong, but history has shown this to be true, and those who do not learn from history are bound to relive it.

Avrom Charach