Never the sharpest tool in the shed, one has to feel a certain measure of sympathy for Avi. It must be hard to be the least intelligent member of a family known for being bright, articulate advocates for a cause. It must be hard being the least intelligent member of his own household.
But despite his many, many deficiencies, he still keeps trying. Here he is trying to paint a sinister picture of the Canada/Israel relationship for his employer, Al Jazeera.
With his typical lack of insight, Lewis suggests that the Conservative government's support for Israel is partially motivated by an effort to court the Jewish vote away from the Liberals. A simple look at the census would have told Lewis that Muslims outnumber Jews by a two to one ratio in Canada, so if it were a vote-gaining ploy, it's a terrible strategy. (He also keeps talking about BDS!) But it's Avi! I know better than to have
At least with the Al Jazeera gig, Avi's found his natural home.
Can you shed any light on the relationships between KAIROS and BDS?
ReplyDeleteWas there a case of mistaken identity?
I have no personal knowledge of the relationship between KAIROS and Bondage, Domination and Sado-masochism.
ReplyDeleteIf you mean the other BDS and the anti-Israel boycott, KAIROS' statement on their de-funding says the response they got from CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) is that they didn't meet their funding priorities.
ReplyDeleteHowever it's widely assumed that KAIROS' position on Israel was a factor in that decision.
Something to note is that non-governmental agencies, though they may operate with a sense of entitlement, do not have a right to government funding. If their activities and policies do not fit in with national policies and government priorities, it is actually counterproductive to fund an organization that undermines government policy.
In the case of KAIROS, Jason Kenney, the Minister of Immigration, did speak of them being involved in a boycott of Israel, but Mr. Kenney is not the minister responsible for CIDA or the decision to deny them federal funding.
While KAIROS may have not been advocating outright for a boycott of Israel, they have been exceptionally critical of the government of Canada, they have criticized the federal government for its decision to place Hamas and Hizbollah on the list of terror organizations, and they are very closely aligned with groups that are calling for a boycott of Israel.
If you want more info, take a look at this column in the Toronto Star:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/741315--dimanno-agency-s-anti-israel-role-is-obvious