Media Advisory - Independent Jewish Canadians meet to form alternative to Canadian Jewish Congress;

[Joanne98]

OTTAWA, March 27 /CNW Telbec/ - More than 100 Jewish activists from
across Canada will gather March 28-30th in Toronto at a conference to form a
network of anti-occupation groups dedicated to building real peace and justice
in the Middle East.
Convened by the Alliance of Concerned Jewish Canadians (ACJC), the
conference will gather Canadian Jews belonging to 18 groups who are coming
together to challenge the views of the Canadian Jewish Congress, the
Canada-Israel Committee and B'nai Brith, along with the Stephen Harper
government-all of whom uncritically support the Israeli government's
violations of international and humanitarian law.
Author Naomi Klein will kick off the conference this Friday evening with
a talk entitled "The challenges facing us: Why we need a Canadian Jewish
progressive movement". The meeting is being held at the Steelworkers' Hall,
25 Cecil St. in Toronto.
Participants share a common opposition to Israel's occupation of the West
Bank and siege of Gaza as well as the Harper government's one-sided approach
to the crisis in the region. The meeting will also include non-Jewish allies
who share the ACJC's concern about what is happening in the West Bank and Gaza
and who wish to work together with the ACJC in common pursuit of a lasting
peace, based on justice for all of the peoples of the region. They include
Katherine Nastovsky, Canadian Union of Public Employees; Deborah Bourke,
Canadian Union of Postal Workers; Vicky Obedkoff, United Church; Khaled
Moummar, Canadian Arab Federation; and Chris Jones, Canadian Peace Alliance.

Media are invited to hear Naomi Klein as well as a panel of..
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http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2008/27/c7812.html

[SteinbachMB]

1. Well

this Canadian is not impressed. Yes the Canadian government is a strong supporter of Israel, and its right to defend herself. And what does a "Canadian Jewish progressive movement" mean? Jews need to remain strong, not weak. I don't hear of any "Canadian palestinian progressive movement", and would not foresee one forming any time soon. Let's see, Israel exists on a narrow strip of land next to the mediterranean, surrounded by its enemies, and under the constant threat of rocket-fire. But some people don't get it.