Robinson’s claims don’t stand up to reality

In her letter to members of the NDP legislative caucus, former post-secondary education minister Selina Robinson has claimed that in B.C. “Jewish students are being terrorized on campus.”

My personal experience at the University of Victoria campus makes me doubt this highly inflammatory allegation.

Twice within the past six weeks, I’ve been among some 250 UVic students, faculty and staff who have gathered in rallies on campus to demand a permanent ceasefire and a just end to Israel’s war on Gaza, which the International Court of Justice has ruled to be plausible genocide.

In each case, a dozen pro-Israeli students protested at the larger rally. Waving Israeli flags and carrying signs, the hecklers stood less than two metres behind speakers who were calling for a ceasefire. The Israeli supporters shouted constantly, attempting to overpower the speakers.

Pro-Palestinian organizers successfully prevented these provocations from turning into an altercation by urging the larger rally goers to ignore the taunts and insults.

The only Jewish students at these events who were subjected to abuse were those who spoke against Israel’s slaughter of Palestinians. They had to endure screams from the pro-Israeli demonstrators, who claimed “you’re a disgrace to Jews.” Apparently, Jews in support of Israel are the only Jews who have the right to freedom of speech.

I wonder whether Ms. Robinson’s notion of “terrorism” and “anti-semitism” in B.C. reveals as much bias and ignorance as her depiction of Palestine before the 1948 Zionist occupation as “a crappy piece of land with nothing on it.”

Larry Hannant Victoria