EDITORIAL: Voters reject division and antisemitism

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One heartening outcome from this week’s election is the way voters decisively rejected the politics of hatred and division, refusing to elect candidates or re-elect incumbent MPs who courted the anti-Israel vote.

As Postmedia journalist Bryan Passifiume reported this week, of the 362 candidates who signed the “Vote Palestine” platform pledge, only 25 were elected — a 93% failure rate. The pledge, in part, supported a two-way arms embargo on Israel and recognition of the state of Palestine.

Out of 362 candidates who signed the pledge, 216 were NDP, 116 were Greens, 28 were Liberals and two represented the Bloc Québécois.

Only six New Democrats who signed it were elected, while 18 Liberals won.

Some vocal anti-Israel MPs lost their seats, including Niki Ashton, Matthew Green and Joel Harden.

Clearly, it wasn’t the only reason the NDP was decimated. It is, however, heartening that voters soundly rejected those who used the war in the Middle East to stir division and antisemitism.

Several New Democrats smugly wore keffiyehs in Parliament in support of Palestine, in defiance of legislative custom that forbids the use of political props. While the Speaker allowed it, there are reasons for such parliamentary niceties. It maintains the neutrality of the chamber and stops attempts to intimidate free debate.

Liberal Ya’ara Saks was dumped by voters in her Toronto riding. Last year, she was pictured, alongside Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, arm-in-arm with Mahmoud Abbas, the head of the Palestinian Authority. Voters sent a strong message that they do not support such political grandstanding. She was the only Liberal in Toronto to lose a seat, which speaks volumes about the disgust felt by constituents in her riding.

Sara Jama, a former NDP MPP in Ontario, was dumped by her party for statements deemed to be antisemitic. She, too, insisted on wearing the keffiyeh in the provincial legislature, in defiance of a ban by the Speaker. In Ontario’s February election, voters overwhelmingly rejected her attempt at re-election as an independent.

This should serve as a warning to any politician cynically tempted to use the Gaza war to score political points in this country. Canadians will not tolerate thinly disguised antisemitism in our hallowed legislatures. Break that rule and you’ll face the wrath of voters.