According to B’nai Brith Canada, an Ontario NDP MPP advocated in support of a member of a Palestinian terrorist group.
Several tweets by MPP Joel Harden lamented the arrest of Khalida Jarrar, who is a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
According to the Public Safety Canada designated terrorist entities list, the PFLP’s main purpose is the destruction of the State of Israel and the creation of a communist government in the region.
“Since 2000, the PFLP has turned increasingly to the use of suicide bombers, guerilla tactics, car bombings, and mortar strikes. The PFLP was also responsible for the first assassination of a cabinet minister in Israel’s history, killing Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi in 2001,” writes the Public Safety website.
In his tweets, Harden called Jarrar his “parliamentary colleague” and said he was “sickened and disgusted” over her arrest by Israeli authorities as a suspect believed to be involved in terrorist activities.
“It does a disservice to the constituents such a candidate would purport to represent, while doing immeasurable harm to the memory of the victims of terrorism, survivors of terrorism, and their respective families,” B’nai Brith National Director Ran Ukashi told True North.
“There is simply no excuse for using one’s position as a trusted elected official to offer praise for a high-ranking member of a listed terrorist entity in Canada.”
Harden has supported the anti-semitic Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS) and once tried to get the practice to become official NDP policy in 2018.
BDS has been rejected by the House of Commons in a vote which calls “upon the government to condemn any and all attempts by Canadian organizations, groups or individuals to promote the BDS movement, both here at home and abroad.”
This isn’t the first time the Ontario NDP has associated themselves with extremist groups and activities. NDP MPP Jessica Bell once advocated for left-wing activists to cause “property destruction,” “seizure of assets” and “economic shutdown.” Bell was arrested at an illegal protest for her actions.
Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath has defended her candidates’ extremist leanings before saying that people sometimes do “radical things to get the attention of decision-makers.”
True North contacted Harder’s office but had not heard back by the time this article was published.
“We hope that our concerns, as relayed to both Mr. Harden and Party Leader Andrea Horwath are understood and that they unequivocally express their condemnation of the PFLP, its leadership, and all who associate with the organization. It needs to be made abundantly clear that no semblance of legitimacy be granted to members of the PFLP; an organization with decades of experience in murdering civilians, including two Canadians,” said Ukashi.
