The Hillel organization at York University in Toronto has expressed "shock" at what it calls a "heavy-handed crackdown" on the part of the university administration against the Jewish students' organization.
The administration announced this week, following a clash between Hillel and pro-PA students in York, the suspension of club privileges of both groups. The action is not seen as balanced, however. Hillel President Jordie Saperia says, "The Jewish students [merely] defended themselves against an incendiary form of anti-Israel guerilla theatre," and the university decision "has left Jewish students on campus feeling betrayed, silenced and vulnerable."
Last week, pro-Palestinian activists set up what Hillel called "provocative and instigatory" mock Israeli checkpoints in Vari Hall, an academic building off-limits to political demonstrators. The Arab sympathizers also broke other regulations by using megaphones, Saperia stated - yet while Hillel members clashed verbally with the Arabs, "university administration and security officials stood by, watching, during almost an hour of intense confrontation."
"While SPHR (Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights) also was suspended," Saperia informed Arutz-7, "there is still a very strong double standard. SPHR has held dozens of illegal rallies at York University over the past two years. The university response has been consistently nothing. Furthermore, with respect to last Tuesday's clash, it should be noted that the Jewish students were reacting to SPHR's provocative and vile theatrics only after the administration failed to stop it. SPHR used microphones and megaphones (which are illegal), while the Jewish students did nothing illegal. Jewish students at York University find it very disturbing that the first time they come close to breaking the rules, they get suspended - while only after dozens of violations of university laws and regulations did the pro-Palestinian students get suspended."
"As a group that has always respected university directives and strives to pursue a healthy working relationship with the administration," Saperia stated, "we are shocked by this heavy-handed crackdown, which affects all areas of our religious, social and cultural activities - not only our political advocacy. We are also extremely nervous at the message that this disproportionate response to the Jewish student voice on campus sends to the entire student body. We feel betrayed."
Several incidents of anti-Semitic vandalism have recently been recorded in Toronto: Vandals smashed seven stained-glass windows at the Pride of Israel Synagogue, and spray-painted swastikas and anti-Semitic graffiti along Bathurst Street. United Jewish Appeals signs in the city were defaced, and swastikas were painted on a clothing donation box. Early this week it was discovered that 22 tombstones had been toppled in the nearby Bathurst Lawn Jewish Cemetery. Anti-Semitic vandals also spray-painted swastikas and hate messages in a Jewish neighborhood in the suburb of Thornhill. One of those arrested in connection with the vandalism is an Iranian Muslim in his 40's. "It's getting to be like France here," commented one Jewish resident.
The administration announced this week, following a clash between Hillel and pro-PA students in York, the suspension of club privileges of both groups. The action is not seen as balanced, however. Hillel President Jordie Saperia says, "The Jewish students [merely] defended themselves against an incendiary form of anti-Israel guerilla theatre," and the university decision "has left Jewish students on campus feeling betrayed, silenced and vulnerable."
Last week, pro-Palestinian activists set up what Hillel called "provocative and instigatory" mock Israeli checkpoints in Vari Hall, an academic building off-limits to political demonstrators. The Arab sympathizers also broke other regulations by using megaphones, Saperia stated - yet while Hillel members clashed verbally with the Arabs, "university administration and security officials stood by, watching, during almost an hour of intense confrontation."
"While SPHR (Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights) also was suspended," Saperia informed Arutz-7, "there is still a very strong double standard. SPHR has held dozens of illegal rallies at York University over the past two years. The university response has been consistently nothing. Furthermore, with respect to last Tuesday's clash, it should be noted that the Jewish students were reacting to SPHR's provocative and vile theatrics only after the administration failed to stop it. SPHR used microphones and megaphones (which are illegal), while the Jewish students did nothing illegal. Jewish students at York University find it very disturbing that the first time they come close to breaking the rules, they get suspended - while only after dozens of violations of university laws and regulations did the pro-Palestinian students get suspended."
"As a group that has always respected university directives and strives to pursue a healthy working relationship with the administration," Saperia stated, "we are shocked by this heavy-handed crackdown, which affects all areas of our religious, social and cultural activities - not only our political advocacy. We are also extremely nervous at the message that this disproportionate response to the Jewish student voice on campus sends to the entire student body. We feel betrayed."
Several incidents of anti-Semitic vandalism have recently been recorded in Toronto: Vandals smashed seven stained-glass windows at the Pride of Israel Synagogue, and spray-painted swastikas and anti-Semitic graffiti along Bathurst Street. United Jewish Appeals signs in the city were defaced, and swastikas were painted on a clothing donation box. Early this week it was discovered that 22 tombstones had been toppled in the nearby Bathurst Lawn Jewish Cemetery. Anti-Semitic vandals also spray-painted swastikas and hate messages in a Jewish neighborhood in the suburb of Thornhill. One of those arrested in connection with the vandalism is an Iranian Muslim in his 40's. "It's getting to be like France here," commented one Jewish resident.