Hawzah News Agency- Titled “Documenting the ‘Palestine Exception'', the report, authored by Dr. Nadia Hasan, reveals a “sharp and dangerous” spike of up to 1,800% in Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian hate crimes in some regions, alongside systemic efforts to suppress advocacy for Palestinian rights.
“The aftermath of October 2023 unleashed a wave of anti-Palestinian racism, Islamophobia, and anti-Arab racism that permeates many aspects of Canadian life'', Dr. Hasan said at a news conference in Ottawa.
It argues that this suppression often operates under the pretext of combating antisemitism, leveraging the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition, which critics say conflates criticism of Israeli policies with anti-Jewish sentiment.
“The IHRA definition has been weaponised to silence voices advocating for Palestinian rights'', the report states, noting its adoption in Canadian institutions since 2019 has heightened scrutiny of Palestinian advocacy.
In 2024, the Palestinian Solidarity Collective (PSC), a Toronto university student group, was banned from campus activities for distributing flyers criticising Israeli settler-colonialism.
Similarly, a 2023 CBC segment on Palestinian displacement in East Jerusalem was pulled after backlash from pro-Israel groups, underscoring how “mainstream media often capitulate to external pressures, limiting nuanced reporting on Palestine''.
Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s Special Representative on Combating Islamophobia, warned: “We see censorship and silencing of Canadians defending Palestinian human rights, with real consequences for their livelihoods and futures''.
She added: “Old tropes from post-9/11 are back, amplified by the far right, dehumanising Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab Canadians''.
Physical and online hate has also surged. The Institute for Strategic Dialogue recorded a 422% increase in anti-Muslim hate speech on X between October 7 and 29, 2023.
Incidents include a Muslim woman in Oshawa, Ontario, having her hijab forcibly removed in a 2024 attack and another assaulted at a pro-Palestine protest in Ottawa.
The report proposes 15 recommendations, including adopting a formal definition of anti-Palestinian racism, enhancing accountability for hate-motivated crimes, and conducting independent investigations into institutional responses, particularly in schools and universities.
It urges universities to protect academic freedom and media outlets to adopt transparent editorial standards.
“Institutions must foster spaces where Palestinian perspectives can be heard without fear of reprisal'', the report emphasises.
Source: 5 PILLARS
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