By Lloyd Mackey

TWO CHRISTIAN organizations, known for their work on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian issue, have some cautious advice for Immigration and Citizenship Minister Jason Kenney.

Spokespeople for Mennonite Central Committee Canada (MCC) and International Christian Embassy Jerusalem Canada (ICEJ) spoke to CC.com this week in the wake of several seemingly pro-Jewish and pro-Israel stances taken by the current federal government against what some have described as "the new anti-Semitism."

ICEJ has long been involved in marshalling Christian support for Israel. It operates a centre in Jerusalem formerly occupied by an African nation that has since moved its embassy to Tel Aviv.

MCC is the development arm of several Mennonite denominations and, as such, is representative of one of Canada's largest "peace" churches. It is often seen as supportive of Palestinian causes, though it also recognizes the close relationship between the Jewish and Christian faiths and cultures.

Toronto-based IJEC national director Donna Holbrook stood firmly with Kenney's stance on pro-Israel support.

"The government has always been clear on its stance regarding terrorist groups. The issue is funding or promoting -- aiding and abetting -- any (terrorist) group," she said.

"And we mean any group. That is important. That does not limit freedom of speech."

For her part, Esther Epp-Tiessen, a research staffer at Mennonite Central Committee Canada's national office in Winnipeg, said Kenney needs to "take the time to listen to all sides of the story.

"Through our own work in peace building around the world, MCC has learned the importance of careful listening," she added. "The cause of peace can only be helped when people who disagree meet face to face and discuss their differences. We hope that Minister Kenney will take this important step."

In recent weeks the federal government has taken several strong stances against anti-Semitism and groups that are perceived to be anti-Israel, anti-Zionist or terrorist in nature, including such organizations as: al-Qaeda, viewed as largely responsible for 9/11; Hezbollah, operating in Lebanon; and Hamas, currently governing Palestinian-controlled Gaza.

On March 12, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said at a ceremony honouring Jewish victims of the recent attacks in Mumbai, India that "anti-Semitism is a pernicious evil that must be exposed, that must be confronted, that must be repudiated, whenever and wherever it appears."

One week later, Kenney promised a "zero tolerance approach towards anti-Semitism" after stripping the Canadian Arab Federation of a $447,000 grant for language training to new immigrants. The grant was denied after the CAF's president, Khaled Mouammar, called Kenney a "professional whore" for denouncing the flying of Hamas and Hezbollah flags at a recent protest over Israel's actions in Gaza.

The federal government has also decided not to send representatives to the upcoming United Nations conclave on racism in Durban, South Africa, citing the alleged potential "gang up" of anti-Israel nations.

And, in late March, the Canadian Border Service Agency ruled maverick British MP George Galloway ineligible for admission to Canada, because of his support for the Hamas leadership in Palestine. Galloway made his Canadian tour appearances by video, uplinked from New York City, where he had been speaking without restraint from American officials.

Commenting particularly on the dustup between Kenney and the Canadian Arab Federation, Epp-Tiessen said Kenney's "portrayal of the Canadian Arab Federation and his withdrawal of funds, without sitting down and talking with them, is most unfortunate."

Epp-Tiessen declined to comment on Galloway's alleged links with a terrorist organization, but said Kenney should listen to Jewish groups that sometimes side with Palestinians against the Israeli government, such as Independent Jewish Voices (IJV), and not only to Jewish groups that support the government.

Currently, IJV claims that many of the organizations to which Kenney is currently listening have links to structures related to the Jewish Defense League, which is itself considered by some nations to be terrorist in nature. IJV names both the Canadian Jewish Congress and B'nai Brith Canada as being closely linked to that network. Both of those groups have opposed letting Galloway into Canada.

For its part, B'nai Brith released a report March 31 asserting that there had been an uptick of anti-Semitic incidents in Canada. BBC executive vice-president Frank Dimant told reporters that the increase might be due to the current economic situation.

"December was the month with the highest total (of anti-Semitic incidents) . . . 70 related to the emerging war in Gaza," said Dimant. "Of these, 36 occurred in the last few days (of the month), as tensions heightened."

Much of the criticism of current Canadian policy in the Middle East has come from the Ottawa Peace Assembly and the Canadian Peace Alliance. However, Epp-Tiessen stressed that MCC was not involved in those groups.

"We work at peace because we follow Christ. We are not partisan and try to work with all parties," she said.

"We are aware of the shift going on. We have some concerns regarding the significant departure of what has been Canadian policy (on the Middle East) for decades."

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