A group formed to combat anti-Jewish sentiment wants the City of Brampton to back away from a pledge that supports Palestine.

The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) says the action by Brampton promotes “an international network of anti-Israel activist groups” and that going forward on the pledge will be a “serious and profoundly misguided mistake” that would “cause real harm to Jewish residents of Brampton.”

CAM has sent its objection to Mayor Patrick Brown and members of Brampton city council and has asked them to reconsider.

Last week, Brampton councillors agreed in principle to affirm the city as “an apartheid-free community” and make a commitment to “freedom, justice, and equality for the Palestinian People.”

The move follows a motion put forward by Brampton Councillor Gurpartap Singh Toor last fall that called for Israel to remove all settlements in Palestinian territory and demanded an end to military operations by Israel in Gaza.

The city’s legal and financial team is now looking over the motion to ensure there are no implications before the pledge becomes official.

However, CAM says Brampton councillors have overreached on the issue by becoming involved with international affairs, an area in which they are not qualified or equipped to deal with.

“By inserting Brampton into an international political campaign explicitly targeting the world’s only Jewish state, the council has chosen symbolism over responsibility and division over leadership,” the CAM letter to Brampton states. “Municipal governments exist to serve residents, maintain public safety, and foster inclusive communities. They are not foreign policy bodies.”

The letter goes on to state that Brampton’s position is “reckless” considering that Jewish schools, synagogues and community centres in Ontario have faced threats and vandalism.

“Jewish Canadians across the country report feeling increasingly unsafe and isolated,” the letter continues. “In that environment, the role of municipal leadership is to protect vulnerable communities, not to adopt rhetoric that further marginalizes them.”

Brampton’s pledge follows that of the Apartheid-Free Network, an organization that asks followers to stand up against Israel’s war with Palestine, and cut ties with companies supporting Israeli occupation, military operations, and settler colonialism

If the city does officially sign on, it would be the first municipality in Ontario to take the pledge. Only eight communities have taken the pledge, and the only Canadian municipalities on the list are Burnaby, B.C. and Powell River, B.C.

Another group, Brampton4Palestine, called the city’s in-principle pledge signing “an important victory.”


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