The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) says it is “disgusted” and “alarmed” that a Toronto-based Arabic-language newspaper glorified Palestinian mothers who “sacrifice” their sons as suicide bombers and terrorists.
CIJA said the Aug. 3 issue of Meshwar contained an article that praised three women whose sons carried out or co-ordinated suicide bombings against Israelis, on behalf of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The author, Muhammad Sayf al-Dawla, is an Egyptian activist who reportedly served Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood-led government, CIJA alleged.
“We are disgusted that this Canadian newspaper is once again celebrating terrorism,” said CIJA’s Martin Sampson. Meshwar, he noted, has a long history of praising terrorism, engaging in Holocaust denial and issuing other anti-Semitic statements.
READ: NDP’S NIKI ASHTON REJECTS ENDORSEMENT OF ‘ANTI-SEMITIC’ SUPPORTER
“Nothing is more offensive to human rights and Canadian values than celebrating the cold-blooded murder of civilians and the profoundly harmful process of dehumanization that foments suicide bombings.
CIJA said it is registering complaints with the relevant press councils “and we call on Meshwar to apologize for publishing such a blatant glorification of murder.”
Meshwar, which reaches some 4,000 readers a week in southwestern Ontario, has a long history of anti-Jewish animus.
In 2014, its editor, Nazih Khatatba, praised the murder of four rabbis and an Israeli police officer in Jerusalem as a “courageous and qualitative” operation.
We are disgusted that this Canadian newspaper is once again celebrating terrorism.
– Martin Sampson
At the time, Jewish officials said they were considering a criminal complaint to police.
Over the years, the free weekly has said that killing is inherent in Judaism and that Judaism is “a terrorist religion.” It has repeatedly denied the Holocaust and printed anti-Semitic cartoons.
Last year, Niki Ashton, then a candidate for the leadership of the federal NDP, rejected an endorsement from Meshwar.
