Last week the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center was proud to host a dinner with the Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper and our top donors. It was an evening of unification and conversation about the most pressing issues we face today in regards to antisemitism and Israel.

Harper - who has been recognized for his support of Israel - proudly discussed the position his government took as Israel faced ongoing criticism, as well as the actions they took to fight antisemitism in our local communities and abroad.

"We faithfully supported Israel's right to defend itself from terrorist attacks under my government. Canada was the first country in the world outside of Israel to suspend relations with the Hamas government in Gaza," he explained. "My government did what previous governments failed to do... We joined the task force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research."

He openly compared the hatred of Israel that we're witnessing today - which can be seen at anti-Israel protests and events, and in dialogue - as a way for "people who would never say they hate and blame the Jews for their own failings or for all the problems of the world [to] instead declare their hatred of Israel and blame the only Jewish state for all the problems of the Middle East."

"We have witnessed in recent years the old disease of antisemitism mutate into new strains," he said. "In much of the western world, the old hatred has been translated into more sophisticated language for use in polite society."

This type of antisemitism has been apparent at college and university campuses, where groups like Students Against Israeli Apartheid and events such as Israeli Apartheid Week are gaining support from students, often met with little to no reaction from the universities. At the dinner Harper expressed his concern regarding the situation that's occurring at many campuses, stating that "intellectualized arguments against Israeli policies really only thinly mask what are underlining hatreds and vicious realities like the shunning of Israeli academics and the harassment of Jewish students."

FSWC would like to thank both Harper and donors for the ongoing support of our goal to counter antisemitism and promote tolerance.

Don't Miss Spirit of Hope!

Don't miss the opportunity to be part of this year's biggest pro-Israel event, the Spirit of Hope Benefit. The featured speaker will be former British Prime Minister David Cameron, who will be in conversation with special guest the Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney. To learn more about the event, visit www.spiritofhopebenefit.com.