Ari Blaff

Article content It was around Christmas 2021 when Robin discovered her child, a biological girl, had socially transitioned at school.

Tamari Kitossa, a decolonization and anti-racism scholar at Brock University, wrote a series of controversial blog posts after October 7

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : Brock University launches review after professor compares Israel to Nazi Germany Brock University launches review after professor compares Israel to Nazi Germany Tamari Kitossa, a decolonization and anti-racism scholar at Brock University, wrote a series of controversial blog posts after October 7 Author of the article: Article content Brock University has launched a review after a professor praised Hamas's October 7 atrocities against Israeli civilians, compared the Jewish state to Nazi Germany, and cited antisemitic conspiracy theories in a series of blog posts. Advertisement 2 Article content Brock University launches review after professor compares Israel to Nazi Germany Back to video Tamari Kitossa, a decolonization and anti-racism scholar at Brock University , where he heads the critical sociology department, wrote a four-part series written following the Hamas atrocities, which Kitossa describes as “ miraculous .” He argues that Zionism and Nazism are one and the same. Article content “Zionism is a colonial project that intended from the start on lebensraum, a project of ethnic cleansing that preceded the coalition of German industrialists, US bankers and Hitler's gang of thugs that formed the Third Reich,” writes Kitossa in a blog post on his personal website. The posts were originally supposed to be published in the Journal of State Crime but were rejected “by the managing editor for reasons entirely unpersuasive,” Kitossa explains in the endnotes to a blog post. The Journal of State Crime declined to comment. Advertisement 3 Article content When reached for comment and asked whether his writings were based on robust scholarship or if they could be viewed as antisemitism, Kitossa replied: “I have no response.” “You have already staked out your position,” Kitossa wrote. In an email, Maryanne St. Denis, manager of content and communications at Brock University, said the school was unaware of Kitossa's blog posts until National Post brought them to the school's attention. “We are currently reviewing this matter,” the school said. St. Denis added that Brock has a “range of policies in place to ensure a safe and welcoming campus environment. There is absolutely no place on our campus for hate of any kind.” Advertisement 4 Article content The series repeatedly references “Rothschild Zionists” and “banker-cabalists” supposedly responsible for sparking the First World War, and cites Holocaust denier and conspiracy theorist David Icke. Kitossa's most recent post is directed at the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), a non-governmental organization that developed a non legally binding “working definition of antisemitism” that has been adopted by dozens of countries, including Canada, Israel and the United States. The definition says that “rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism” can be “directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.” Advertisement 5 Article content In the post, Kitossa argues that the IHRA has been “successful in criminalizing” anti-Zionist thought via “gaslighting which treats as equally repugnant criticism of the Zionist State of Israel with hatred of Jews because they are Jews.” The “canard” which lies “at the heart of (a) hateful regime of Zionism,” Kitossa writes, is that “if the Jew does not exist as an object of hate, the Zionist must create her or him to rationalize the raison d'être of Zionism.” Kitossa's writings cover a wide scope of subject matter, including Israel's research during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kitossa describes this as selling “Jews out to be the lab rats for Pfizer,” he writes in his first essay , and calls it “ a project so diabolical that not even Hitler, Eichmann, Mengele or even Henry Ford could have dreamt it.” Advertisement 6 Article content His writings often blur the line between strident criticism of Israel and dabbling in antisemitic rhetoric. “ I see that rank-and-file Jewish Zionists, in making a ‘Holy Calf' of the State of Israel, are not only slaves of the only Jewish State, but they have abdicated their humanity in the process in cheering on holocaust of Gaza,” he argues in his latest article on his personal website. In another, Kitossa concedes there are still areas in which the Jewish State has an edge over its prospective enemies. In doing so, he cites, for example, Israel's cyber-warfare ability, but also apparently references the unsubstantiated idea that Israel was involved with what he terms “the espionage honeypot sexcapades of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.” Advertisement 7 Article content (Maxwell is a British former socialite convicted of sex trafficking offences; Epstein, a former financier, committed suicide in a New York jail cell after being arrested on alleged sex-crime offences. Conspiracy theories have proliferated online claiming that Epstein was an Israeli intelligence asset.) The subsequent chapter in Kitossa's blog posts seeks to highlight supposed similarities between Zionism and Nazism, and is dedicated to the criticism of two distinguished Jewish Holocaust scholars — Raphael Lemkin and Raul Hilberg — because they had varying degrees of Zionist sympathies. Lemkin coined the term “genocide.” The third post strives to “ delink ” the Zionist “tools of history, sociology, and socio-legal studies which serves the myth of Jewish exceptionalism at the expense of the Palestinians.” Advertisement 8 Article content “The destruction of Palestinians, their very erasure to create a ‘greater Israel' is encoded in the DNA of Zionism, whatever its variants,” writes Kitossa in that post In another, he argues that Jews “have a duty to blow Zionism to the winds.” “This alone will make them worthy of their dead, who were used and betrayed by Zionists, and, for the rest of humanity of whom their dead were a part,” it concludes. In his writings, Kitossa specifically highlights the work of Max Blumenthal, a left-wing journalist who has been accused of dabbling in conspiracy theories and downplaying Hamas atrocities on October 7, and Jonas E. Alexis , who contributes to the antisemitic website Veterans Today Zionism, Kitossa argues in the series conclusion , “thrives on — and encourages — the idea that the jew is an eternal victim of the ‘goyim,' Zionists are happiest most when non-Zionist Jews encounter racio-religious discrimination.” Advertisement 9 Article content “Zionism is deeply contemptuous and hateful of Jews,” he elaborates in his most recent article . “This meant that before State formation, Zionists actively cheered on both discrimination against Jews in Germany and Austria and the death camps and squads in the occupied lands.” The blog posts also cite several other controversial scholars. Kitossa cites approvingly from the PhD thesis of “Lebanese scholar Mahmoud Abbas,” not noting Abbas is the Palestinian president and not Lebanese. (Abbas's thesis contends that Jews shared a portion of the blame for the Holocaust.) Kitossa also cites Ilan Pappe, an Israeli historian whose work has been criticized by other historians for intellectual dishonesty , and Arthur Koestler, some of whose work has been discredited but still used by neo-Nazis and some in the Arab world to claim that Jews are not indigenous to the region. Advertisement 10 Article content Gil Troy, a McGill University history professor, reviewed Kitossa's writings and underscores that while he would “ bend over backward to defend free speech and academic freedom,” the series of articles “are unhinged, wildly inaccurate, sloppy, and offensive,” he told National Post by email. “S ome of the statements, especially the broad launching of gross, and quite familiar, anti-Semitic stereotypes, cross a line that would not be tolerated in speech characterizing any other group,” Troy wrote. Troy was especially struck by Kitossa's depiction of Jewish heritage trips — basically trips where Jews in foreign nations receive free trips to Israel to explore their roots. Kitossa called them “ an act of positive eugenics,” and described them as “sex junkets for foreign Jews to Israel” funded by the government “and rich Jews.” Advertisement 11 Article content “ This sentence is the most problematic because it — like all the Rothschild references — traffics in traditional anti-Jewish stereotypes of rich, manipulative Jews who are sexually deviant,” Troy explained. “You have to follow the footnote, and dig deep into the article cited, to see that these nefarious supposed ‘sex junkets for foreign Jews to Israel,' are educational programs to build Jewish and Zionist identity, such as Birthright Israel.” Troy said that Kitossa's writings make “a mockery of the word ‘academic'” and questioned whether similar rhetoric against other minority groups would be tolerated by college administrators. “ This kind of ranting and bile is not a jailable offence in a democracy. But it certainly should trigger some serious conversations among administrators and leaders of Brock University,” he concluded. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : Brock University launches review after professor compares Israel to Nazi Germany Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake This Week in Flyers

Signage outside the encampment at UBC warned, 'Zionists f--- off,' while others carried messages such as 'End Zionism by any means necessary'

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : Anti-Israel protests spread across Canadian university campuses to UBC, uOttawa Anti-Israel protests spread across Canadian university campuses to UBC, uOttawa Signage outside the encampment at UBC warned, 'Zionists f--- off,' while others carried messages such as 'End Zionism by any means necessary' Author of the article: Article content Several days after an anti-Israel protest encampment was established at Montreal's McGill University, the school has turned to the police and students have turned to the courts to try to have the protesters removed, while encampments and protests emerge at other Canadian universities. Advertisement 2 Article content Anti-Israel protests spread across Canadian university campuses to UBC, uOttawa Back to video “We informed participants that this encampment was not authorized and gave them time to gather their belongings and leave the premises. However, most have chosen to remain,” the university said in an emailed statement to National Post. “As we have failed to reach a resolution, university leadership decided to take the final step in our protocol, and requested police assistance late afternoon yesterday.” Article content Meanwhile, two McGill students were to be in court Tuesday afternoon seeking an injunction to have the encampment, which is demanding McGill cut ties with Israeli universities, removed. “It creates a dangerous, hostile, aggressive and violent environment for students, staff and professors, as well as for those participating in the encampment,” the two students claim. Advertisement 3 Article content On Saturday, McGill University became the first campus in Canada to see an anti-Israel protest encampment established, following protest movements across the United States at dozens of campuses that have seen tent cities erected and administration buildings stormed and occupied by protesters. On Monday, demonstrators also formed an encampment at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, demanding the university divest from Israel, embrace an academic boycott of the Jewish State and “respect the right to resist from Turtle Island to Palestine.” Community notes distributed to visitors permitted to enter the so-called “ Liberated Zone ” include an agreement “not to talk to cops or campus security,” “engage with agitators or counter-protesters,” and never to “share names or personal details of anyone we meet in this encampment.” Advertisement 4 Article content Signage displayed outside the encampment on UBC's campus in Vancouver warned, “Zionists f–k off,” while others carried messages such as “End Zionism by any means necessary . Free Palestine.” Advertisement 5 Article content Two Ontario universities, the University of Toronto and the University of Ottawa, attempted on Monday to head off any potential protesters, informing students that while they had the right to assembly and protest, establishing encampments or occupying campus grounds would not be tolerated. “We continue to call on all members of our community to treat each other with respect and empathy as they interact in our classrooms, common spaces, and online,” Éric Bercier, the university's Associate Vice-President of Student Affairs said in a statement on Monday. On Monday, uOttawa's Palestinian Students Association held a demonstration on Tabaret Lawn on the University of Ottawa campus, demanding the school cut ties with defence and security companies that provide weapons to Israel. But, they didn't stick around. Advertisement 6 Article content Jesse Robichaud, the manager of media relations at the university, said there were no overnight tents and the crowd dispersed by 9 p.m. Monday. Advertisement 7 Article content In Vancouver and Montreal, though, the protests seem more entrenched. Itai Bavli, a postdoctoral fellow specializing in racism and public health and a self-described “peace activist,” said that despite agreeing with the protesters about Palestinian self-determination at the UBC protest, when he raised the matter of coexistence with Israel he was asked to leave the encampment. “I was super respectful. I told them multiple times that I'm a peace activist, that I support the Palestinians, that I'm against the occupation,” Bavli wrote on X. “I explained that I came here to have dialogue and that I respect them. They gathered around me and called the organizers, who took me aside. The moment I said I believe Israel has the right to exist, they told me I was not allowed to enter. I said that I'm disappointed because I believe in peace. It breaks my heart. I teach at UBC.” Advertisement 8 Article content Advertisement 9 Article content The UBC encampment, also referred to as the People's University for Gaza , has been actively promoted by Charlotte Kates, the leader of the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, a virulently anti-Israel movement with ties to designated terror group the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). On Friday, Kates addressed a crowd outside the Vancouver Art Gallery, calling the October 7 atrocities committed by Hamas “heroic and brave.” The comments drew the condemnation of B.C. Premier David Eby, who called the remarks “reprehensible.” “Celebrating the murder, the rape of innocent people attending a music festival, it's awful,” the NDP leader said during a press conference on Monday. Advertisement 10 Article content UBC did not respond to National Post's request for comment on Tuesday. The encampment on UBC grounds is about 30 tents strong, and Naisha Khan, a spokesperson for the organizers, told The Canadian Press that protesters would not leave until UBC supported Palestinian “resistance” and a right of return for Palestinians to their former homes in Israel. Eby also said that the UBC campus, while a protected ground for free speech, must ensure that all students feel safe, and that Jewish students feel “particularly alone on campuses and need additional support to feel safe.” So far, UBC says it has been keeping in touch with the RCMP. But, unlike Montreal, it has yet to escalate to the point where police or courts are needed to clear out protesters. Advertisement 11 Article content Video circulating on social media showed anti-Israel demonstrators at McGill shouting at counter-protesters to “Go back to Europe” and “All the Zionists are racist.” Advertisement 12 Article content On Monday, negotiations between protesters and McGill administration broke down. Tensions continued to escalate at McGill after demonstrators failed to vacate school property in Montreal, prompting the school to reach out to local law enforcement for help. “Having to resort to police authority is a gut-wrenching decision for any university president,” said Deep Saini, McGill's president, in an email to students. In the hours since the university contacted police, extra tarps have been added to tents and the fencing erected has been reinforced. A call had gone out to the community to bolster the number of protesters. “(Protesters) have been briefed on how to de-escalate and how to make sure that they are in a position of least risk possible,” said student student Leila Khaled. The Montreal police service confirmed it had received a request for assistance from McGill. “We are evaluating the various possible avenues and advocating for a peaceful outcome,” police spokesperson Véronique Dubuc said. With additional reporting by National Post wire services Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : Anti-Israel protests spread across Canadian university campuses to UBC, uOttawa Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Loading... Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake This Week in Flyers

Amid anti-Israel encampments on university campuses that have led to new safety concerns, leaders met on Wednesday to celebrate Jewish Heritage Month

Public union leaders across the province have pledged their unwavering support for the anti-Israel encampment established at the University of Toronto last week.

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : Union leaders pledge support for U of T anti-Israel encampment, urge 'consequences' for dissenters Union leaders pledge support for U of T anti-Israel encampment, urge 'consequences' for dissenters 'There need to be street-based consequences for clumsy buffoons' like prof who infiltrated protest, OPSEU spokesperson tweets Author of the article: Article content Public union leaders across the province have pledged their unwavering support for the anti-Israel encampment established at the University of Toronto last week. Advertisement 2 Article content Union leaders pledge support for U of T anti-Israel encampment, urge 'consequences' for dissenters Back to video On Thursday, U of T administrators notified activists that any demonstrations on private school property after 10 p.m. could result in legal consequences. The warning prompted the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario and three local chapters to release a solidarity statement. Article content “ We fully reject the administration's attempt to deny them their constitutional right to peaceful assembly,” the union wrote in a public statement . “Administration says they are protesting on private property, a claim we reject entirely. They are protesting on stolen land.” Footage circulating on social media late Thursday showed CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn, whose organization represents nearly 300,000 public sector employees in the province, shaking hands with anti-Israel protesters while clutching union flags and wearing a keffiyeh, a traditional Palestinian garb adopted as a political symbol. Advertisement 3 Article content Advertisement 4 Article content Later in the day, CUPE Ontario called on members to participate in an anti-Israel rally outside the American consulate in Toronto on Saturday led by the Palestinian Youth Movement, a group whose members have celebrated the October 7 atrocities committed by Hamas and supported the designated terror group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). During the rally , marchers carried banners proclaiming “long live armed resistance to occupation” as chants of “Rafah! Rafah!” resounded in the background. Advertisement 5 Article content CUPE Ontario did not respond to the National Post's request for comment. Kevin Bryan, a University of Toronto business professor who visited the encampment and spoke with activists on Thursday, said he found that the “majority of people I talked to are neither students nor affiliated with our university.” He said “security” and a “spokesperson” he spoke with “both explicitly said that if you don't support the collective's view on Palestine, you aren't welcome and they will remove you. Actually, I was specifically told to leave now or ‘it would become more uncomfortable,' Bryan wrote in a series of posts on X recounting his experience “I did see a large group (50 people or so) surround a different woman who'd gotten in and start chanting ‘all Zionists are evil,'” he added. “In terms of posters, honestly, it was just a general mélange of far-left policy.” Advertisement 6 Article content Advertisement 7 Article content Bryan's tweets highlighting the non-student element of the anti-Israel encampment prompted Vic Wojciechowska, a communications officer with the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), to threaten the professor with “consequences.” “There need to be street-based consequences for clumsy buffoons like Kevin. I can confidently (say) that the encampment is predominantly students — students I PERSONALLY know & recognize. Kevin knows this & knows what he does as a spinner of dangerous yarns. Watch you back, Kevin,” Wojciechowska wrote on X Wojciechowska, a former Antifa activist , has been arrested multiple times for violence committed while protesting. Within days of the Hamas massacre on October 7, which left over 1,000 Israelis dead, the OPSEU communications leader was OPSEU, an Ontario union representing nearly 200,000 members, did not respond to the Post's request for comment in time for publication. National Post Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : Union leaders pledge support for U of T anti-Israel encampment, urge 'consequences' for dissenters Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Loading... Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake This Week in Flyers

'I’m just thankful my classes are far away from the encampment, but I’m scared that they’ll take over a building and deny me entry as a Jew'

Without any announcement, the United Nations (UN) significantly lowers its previously stated casualty list in the Gaza Strip