Trudeau’s Support for Israel Undermined by Liberal Nominee Kang at Calgary Anti-Israel Hate Rally

Recently, Marc Garneau, Liberal foreign affairs critic, shared the stage with Conservative Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird at a rally in Ottawa in support of the people of Israel.

Garneau, on behalf of his leader Trudeau and the Federal Liberal party, spoke sincerely and forcefully, on behalf of Israel’s right to defend itself. However, his efforts and by extension, Trudeau’s efforts to once again position his party as a staunch defender of Israel, were seriously hurt by the shameful participation of Liberal nominee Darshan Kang as featured speaker at a violent anti- Israel rally in Calgary. Prior to the Ottawa rally for Israel, Baird had criticized Trudeau and the Liberals for being silent for about six days in the face of Hamas launching hundreds of missiles into Israel with the intent of killing as many Israel civilians as possible. When Israel finally decided to defend itself and try to stop these missiles with its own air assault, a former Liberal MP and current Liberal nominee for Mississauga Centre, Omar Alghabra, on his Facebook stated:

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“Tragic! My thoughts and prayers are with the innocent civilians caught in blind and cruel bombing," the post stated over top of a picture of a recently bombed neighbourhood in Gaza. In effect, referring to Israel’s self-defensive measures as “blind and cruel”.

Trudeau’s silence for six days and Alghabra’s highly critical comments, called into question whether Trudeau and the Liberals, were just paying mere lip service to their oft-stated position that the Liberal Party stood behind Israel and supported Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas terrorists. Marc Garneau was invited by the organizers of the pro Israel rally in Ottawa and to his credit, he spoke passionately and eloquently, on behalf of Trudeau and the Liberal Party in defense of Israel. Garneau read a statement from Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau echoing the Harper government’s solidarity with Israel and used his own background as a career military officer to explain the necessity of Israel’s operation in Gaza. Garneau stated, “Let me ask the question, “How can Israel stop Hamas from firing rockets into Israel and threatening the lives of Israeli civilians?

“As an ex-military officer, I know the answer to that question. It’s not complicated. You have to destroy that launch capability and cut off that rocket supply. Otherwise you’re defenseless and the rockets will keep coming,” he said. “For some to argue that you can’t attack Hamas terrorists because of the risk of killing innocent Palestinian civilians, is equivalent to saying, you’re not allowed to defend yourself,” he said, emphasizing that Hamas is a terrorist organization and its actions cannot be compared to a liberal, democratic state like Israel. “If Canada were similarly threatened, there would be only one acceptable response: Canadians would expect their government to defend and protect them,” he said. “That is precisely what Israel is doing at the moment.”

Garneau’s comments were very well-received by the pro Israel crowd. Unfortunately, two days later, a pro-Palestinian and pro-Hamas rally was held in Calgary. This protest was organized by Justice for Palestinians and Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights, a University of Calgary club (SPHR). Featured speakers included SPHR president ala’s Hamdan, U of C professor Arthur Clarke and Liberal MLA for Calgary-Skyview and federal Liberal Party candidate Darshan Kang, who was personally approved by Justin Trudeau and won his nomination by acclamation. About 1,000 pro-Palestinian protesters attended. There was a counter-protest of Jewish and non-Jewish -Israel supporters across the street consisting of ten men and women, peacefully holding signs. Then things got ugly. About 100 of the pro Hamas protesters crossed the street and proceeded to beat up the peaceful and defenseless pro-Israel protesters, while shouting “Kill the Jews” and “Hitler was right”. One of the Israeli supporters, Jake Burrell, wearing an Israeli flag around his neck, was dragged several feet by the mob. He was bruised and scratched. Burrell’s cousin, Samantha Hamilton, was punched in the face and in the head by these cowardly pro Hamas protesters. And had her hair pulled. Her offence was she was trying to protect her younger brother from being swarmed and being attacked. Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party must take responsibility and be held to account for Kang’s participation as featured speaker in this hateful, anti-Semitic, pro Hamas violent demonstration. Trudeau and his inner circle have personally vetted and approved every Liberal candidate for the next federal election. Those who have crossed Trudeau, i.e. long time Liberal Christine Innes, have been prevented from even participating in a nomination fight. Trudeau has laid down the law that all Federal candidates must support the Party’s pro-choice position, without exception. No Liberal candidate can publicly support a pro life position. Clearly, when it comes to Israel and the Palestinians, Trudeau does not prevent his candidates from supporting publicly Hamas terrorists. To date neither Trudeau or any senior Liberal official has rebuked Liberal nominee Darshan Kang from speaking at a hateful, anti-Semitic, anti-Israeli rally in favour of Hamas terrorism. That speaks volumes. Apparently, under this Trudeau Liberal Party, it is kosher for some Liberals to defend Israel before Jewish pro-Israel supporters and for other Liberal Party members to publicly support Hamas terrorism before pro-Palestinian and pro-Hamas supporters.