I have been accused on several occasions of harbouring anti-Semitic feelings. My criticism is of the State of Israel's policies in regard to the Palestinian population. It has nothing to do with Judaism, nothing to do with Islam, it has everything to do with human rights.
My criticism of the State of Israel doesn't make strike me blind to the horrors inflicted on the population of many of the Islamic States of the Middle East. I am not claiming that the governance of those states is superior to the governance of Israel. I am not claiming support for these states and their leadership. My criticism of Israel stems from their portrayal as the moral light unto nations, their complete denial of wrongdoing and violations of human rights and their continued colonialization.
When I look at a Middle Eastern State, what I see is what I get. Violations of human rights is not necessarily the exception, but is the rule. It is clear to everyone what they are doing and why they are doing it. When I look at Israel, I see a nation which has been oppressing the indigenous population for over six decades and claims to be an "leader" of democratic governance. I see a state that, until recently, received unconditional support from Western nations even if it allowed the oppression of another population continued on. I also see a state which denies the history of the Palestinian people, denies their basic fundamental right to self determination all for the one simple objective, land expansionism. What bothers me the most, is I see the state of Israel, along with their Western puppets, Canada and the United States, deliberately demonize a population based upon their faith through distortion, manipulation and outright lies, in order to fulfill a political agenda.
As long as nations like Canada equate valid criticism to anti-Semitism, there is no chance for peace. To legislate and ban terms such as Israeli Apartheid, Canada is placing a roadblock on the road towards peace. How can one engage in honest dialogue when it is forbidden to criticize Israel's actions that are illegal under International law? When actions of a state fall within the scope of the legal definition of Apartheid, why is it illegal to call it what it is?
The United States, along with Canada's recent best friend status and unconditional support to the State of Israel is not only allowing Israel to redefine human rights under occupation, but is denying the Palestinians their history. Considering the history of the Jewish people is often denied and met with valid accusations of anti-Semitism, the application of these tactics to another population is troubling. If the State of Israel cannot even acknowledge the ills perpetuated on the indigenous population, how is a just peace to be brokered? Until then, we will just see more of the same until "the problem" of the Palestinians ceases to exist.