In early February of this year McMaster University’s Provost office banned the use of the term “Israeli Apartheid”. (The office is second in command beneath the president’s office.) Both McMaster Human Rights & Equity Services (HRES) and the McMaster Student Union accepted the ban. Students at McMaster had been attempting to promote ‘Israeli Apartheid Week’.

Israeli Apartheid Week is a part of a global campaign supported by hundreds of groups, from universities to religious groups. The campaign is an anti-racism campaign, which seeks boycotts, sanctions and divestments against Israel and is lead by “[p]rominent Palestinians, Jewish anti-Zionists and South Americans” among others, including Trent University Professor Paula Sherman, who spoke at the Peterborough events.

***According to their website, the goal of Israeli Apartheid Week, and the reason for it being called Israeli Apartheid Week, is to bring “full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, an end to the occupation and colonization of all Arab lands - including the Golan Heights, the Occupied West Bank with East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip - and dismantling the Wall, and the protection of Palestinian refugees' right to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in U.N. resolution 194.”

Israeli Apartheid Week is a part of a global campaign supported by hundreds of groups, from universities to religious groups. The campaign is an anti-racism campaign, which seeks boycotts, sanctions and divestments against Israel and is lead by “[p]rominent Palestinians, Jewish anti-Zionists and South Africans” among others, including Trent University Professor Paula Sherman, who spoke at the Peterborough events.

Dr. Busch-Vishniac, of the McMaster Provost office, denied the reports of the banning of the term Israeli Apartheid: “Although there is a rumor circulating that I have banned the use of the phrase ‘Israeli Apartheid’, this is patently not true. McMaster University fully supports freedom of speech and we have not abridged this fundamental principle. The single action we took was to refuse to place a highly inflammatory and large banner in a very public part of our campus. No restrictions were placed on any activities associated with Israeli Apartheid Week.”

However this seems contradictory to an email she sent later, which was quoted in the Jewish Tribune:

“Dear Mr. Gerofsky,

I learned of just this morning of the table occupied by a student group, named Muslims for Peace and Justice, who widely displayed Israel Apartheid Week literature. We regret this incident greatly and never condone hate-mongering in any form. We have met with a representative of the student group, explained to them that their banner will not be permitted, and told them in no uncertain terms that their activities must show respect and tolerance for everyone or we will take further actions. I thank you for voicing your concern and agree that this is an ugly incident. Hateful behaviour has no place in our community.”

McMaster HRES issued the following statement in an email: ‘The university has taken the position that literature which refers to “Israeli apartheid” and activities promoted under the banner “Israeli Apartheid Week” are unacceptable. The university takes the position that this phrase is in violation of the university’s efforts to ensure that all people will be treated with dignity and tolerance.’

In 1973 the United Nations ratified the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid, also knows as ICSPCA. In the ICSPCA the crime of Apartheid is defined as the “institutionalized [...] systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over any other racial group or groups.”  The crime of Apartheid includes these clauses: “Deliberate imposition on a racial group or groups of living conditions calculated to cause its or their physical destruction in whole or in part; Any legislative measures and other measures calculated to prevent a racial group or groups from participation in the political, social, economic and cultural life of the country and the deliberate creation of conditions preventing the full development of such a group or groups, in particular by denying to members of a racial group or groups basic human rights and freedoms, including the right to work, the right to form recognized trade unions, the right to education, the right to leave and to return to their country, the right to a nationality, the right to freedom of movement and residence, the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association; Any measures including legislative measures, designed to divide the population along racial lines by the creation of separate reserves and ghettos for the members of a racial group or groups, the prohibition of mixed marriages among members of various racial groups, the expropriation of landed property belonging to a racial group or groups or to members thereof[.]”

Many emotionally charged events took place during Israeli Apartheid Week including a “High schools Against Israeli Apartheid” Conference. National Post columnist Barbara Kay spoke against the High school conferences saying: “What they undoubtedly did in those five hours – we can’t really know, since it was closed to the public – was to pump as much hatred of Israel as possible into those young, impressionable minds.”

Dr. David Naylor, University of Toronto President said “We do, in fact, recognize that the term Israeli Apartheid is upsetting to many people, [but] we also recognize that, in every society, universities have a unique role to provide a safe venue for highly charged discourse.”

Several groups, including CUPE and OPIRG, helped organize a massive rally with students from all Toronto universities busing to McMaster to have their voices heard.

Tensions mounted as McMaster held a forum on free speech, to discuss the issue of the term “Israeli Apartheid.” Many students passionately spoke out on both sides of the issue, some attacking the administration for barring free speech, others applauding the censorship of “hateful language.” Security guards ensured no conflict broke out between the two sides.

After the forum ended, many students raised banners with messages such as “Zionism is racism.”

These tensions are nothing new at McMaster. Ryerson’s Student Union President was quoted as saying the following about these racial tensions at McMaster: “For example [...] I believe one faculty member [...] wore a hijab to support Muslim sisters who do wear hijabs and her door was defaced.”

Luke Weagant