Gidon Katz, the initiator and producer of the Israel Real Estate Expo, spoke with Arutz Sheva - Israel National News from the Expo’s stop in Montreal, Canada, where the expo encountered unexpected and violent antisemitism.
“It was pretty shocking to me,” Katz recalls. “There were hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrating outside the event, and I feel that without the police and volunteers from the community, they would have come in and destroyed the event.”
The expo was targeted not once, but twice: “The night we landed, Monday evening, there was an event here in the Jewish Federation of Montreal. Hundreds of demonstrators came and wanted to disturb and block their event. The Montreal police brought in SWAT teams and arrested a few guys, and that got them prepared for our event. We had dozens and dozens of policemen, and they took control of the event.”
He says the incidents are a reminder to his community of the expo’s purpose: “There are some that think it's just part of life in the diaspora. People here are not looking for an exit strategy, but an entry strategy for Israel.”
The expo is undeterred by the incident and will be carrying on to its next stop in Toronto as planned. “We know they are planning to demonstrate against us, but as one of the Rabbis said we won't succumb to terror. We're going to go full force to the event.”
Click here for more information on the Israel Real Estate Expo