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The city of Ottawa handed Canada’s Jew-haters a propaganda victory this week when it announced it is cancelling an annual ceremony scheduled for May 14, marking the founding of the state of Israel in 1948.
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Why? Presumably because Ottawa’s municipal officialdom is afraid that Jew-haters might disrupt it and become violent.
Of course, the city didn’t put it that way in a statement on Tuesday announcing its decision.
After all, an appeaser — famously described by Winston Churchill as “one who feeds a crocodile hoping it will eat him last” — seldom says what he or she actually means.
The city of Ottawa, in explaining its decision, said: “After consulting with the Ottawa Police Service and stakeholders, the City is following recommendations based on safety and security considerations to not hold a public ceremony this year. This decision is based on recent intelligence that suggests hosting a public ceremony poses a substantial risk to public safety.
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“The City must prioritize the safety of its residents, visitors, and employees. Therefore, this year’s commemoration will occur without the customary ceremony. The decision reflects a commitment to safeguarding the welfare of all Ottawa residents, while upholding principles of inclusivity and respect for diplomatic relations.”
Normally the city, according to its statement, “celebrates national holidays and independence days and holds flag-raising events and activities, in collaboration with Global Affairs Canada, for more than 190 federally-recognized countries.”
But now, Israel will be the lone exception.
Having conducted ceremonies marking Israel’s Independence Day since 2007, this year it will be cancelled, although the city will still raise Israel’s flag on May 14.
That’s presuming this doesn’t upset the Jew haters to the point where the city reverses that decision as well.
Layered on top of all this was a passive-sounding explanation of the city’s decision on Wednesday by Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe which, to me, made it sound as if he was a bystander to it.
But of course he was involved in making it. He’s the mayor.
Sutcliffe wrote, “this decision was made after consultation with the Ottawa Police Service, and the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, with whom I’ve spoken regularly over the past several days.”
The mayor said he is “very disappointed that the flag-raising ceremony to commemorate Israel’s Independence Day has been cancelled, for the first time ever, for safety and security reasons” adding “it will be another blow to the Jewish community that the customary ceremony will not take place because of escalating threats and hostility.
“Our shared priority must continue to be the safety of all Ottawa residents. Let’s come together to support our friends and neighbours in the Jewish community and stamp out hatred and racism in all its forms.”
But by cancelling the ceremony, the city is not standing with its Jewish residents.
To the contrary, it appears to be giving into the mob.
To be fair, it could be that the “recent intelligence” the city has received that the public isn’t privy to indicates a security threat that is so serious, that it would make holding the ceremony acknowledging the creation of the state of Israel unwise.
But if that’s the case, Ottawa has an even bigger problem when it comes to the safety of its citizens, particularly Jewish citizens, so what steps will it take to ensure public safety other than cancelling one pro-Israel event?
Because what history has repeatedly shown us is that appeasing haters doesn’t deter them.
To the contrary, it emboldens them.
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