This campaign seeks free expression on the issue of Palestine. Our declaration is as follows:

For Free Expression on Palestine

We believe that discussion and debate on the Israel/Palestine conflict falls within the realm of free expression and should not be suppressed. We believe that political criticism is among the classes of speech we should be most interested in promoting and protecting.

We demand that the full range of views on the conflict, from Israel advocacy to Palestine advocacy, be protected and not be subject to bans, penalties, or sanctions.

We reject hate speech, anti-Semitism, incitement to violence, racism and discrimination. We believe that discussion, debate, and advocacy around Palestine and Israel should be conducted in opposition to all forms of racism, discrimination, Islamophobia, and anti-Semitism.

We do not believe that characterizing Israel as an ‘apartheid state’ or campaigning for ‘boycotts, divestment, and sanctions’ against Israel constitutes hate speech, anti-Semitism, incitement to violence, racism, or discrimination. We need not agree with these characterizations or campaigns to agree that these are legitimate positions that should be protected on free speech grounds.

We believe that speech that is critical of a government and its policies, which does not target an ethnicity, nationality, or religion, must not be suppressed by a democratic society. Criticizing Israeli policies toward the Palestinians does not target Jewish people just as criticizing Sudan's policies in Darfur does not target Sudanese people, criticizing Saddam Hussein's past treatment of the Kurds did not target Iraqi or Arab people, criticizing China’s policies in Tibet does not target Chinese people, and criticizing the U.S. occupation of Iraq does not target American people.

Further Reading

Below are some key articles and documents of cases mentioned in the article and other related cases,
including numerous cases from the United States.

Campuses:

• Dan Freeman-Maloy, “The Israel Advocacy Push to Reclaim York U” Znet March 2/09
• Liisa Schofield, “U of T Suppresses pro-Palestinian Activism” Rabble February 18/09
• Margaret Aziza Pappano, “Academic Freedom Threatened in Ontario Universities” The Bullet February 20/09
• Justin Podur, “Annotated version of Ignatieff's Memo”
• Denis Rancourt fired from University of Ottawa

George Galloway's Banning:

• Galloway's reply
• Galloway's and the Jewish Defence League
• Galloway's banned talk

On the Canadian Arab Federation

• Randa Mouammar on CAF
• Asam Ahmad on CAF

On anti-Semitism and hate speech:

• CAIA demands that University's distance themselves from 'hate speech' claim
• Rebick and Sears to Kenney
• Jewish activists defend Hernann Dierkes

On apartheid and BDS:

• PACBI
• Naomi Klein on BDS.
• Klein-Waskow debate on BDS
• Rafeef Ziadah on cultural boycotts
• Justin Podur's report and exchange with Stuart Murray on the Academic Boycott
• Jason Kunin on Academic Boycott
• Jason Kunin on Supporting CUPE's boycott

U.S. Cases

• William Robinson's case at UCSB
• Joel Kovel's case at Bard College
• Normal Finkelstein gets cancelled
• Joseph Massad, intimidated at Columbia University: Joseph Massad's web page has a bunch of materials related to the intimidation campaign against him
• Nadia Abu El-Haj, who finally was granted tenure in the end
• Rashid Khalidi, cancelled in NYC
• Principal Debbie Almontaser fired from an Arab public high school
• Campaigns against books (Finkelstein’s and Kovel’s)
• Ellen Cantarow on Hampshire College (U.S.) divestment
• Howard Friel on Hampshire College

Organizations dealing with suppression of free expression on Palestine

• Muzzle Watch
• Committee for Open Debate on Zionism

Right-wing groups who attack Israel’s critics

• Campus Watch (Daniel Pipes)
• The David Project