Vancouver, Unceded Coast Salish Territories — April 8, 2025
Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) strongly condemns the disingenuous attacks launched today by the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) against Vancouver City Councillor Sean Orr. In a public statement, these organizations accused Councillor Orr of making “false” claims that Israel is committing acts of genocide — allegations they dismiss as unfounded despite mounting international evidence to the contrary.
The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention, a respected authority on the prevention of mass atrocities, has unequivocally stated:
“Since October 2023, Western governments have supported Israel’s genocide in Gaza using bad faith arguments that what we all are seeing on our screens is merely Israel exercising ‘self-defense.’”
In addition, the International Court of Justice, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and dozens of other leading human rights organizations have extensively documented the mass killing, forced displacement, and destruction wrought by Israel in Gaza — clear indicators of genocidal acts.
Councillor Orr has shown integrity and courage in condemning Israeli war crimes and speaking out in defence of Palestinian human rights. We need more elected officials like Sean Orr — leaders with the courage to speak uncomfortable truths, resist the politicized weaponization of antisemitism, and uphold universal human rights. Attempts to silence such voices not only betray the victims of war crimes but also distort the true meaning of antisemitism, ultimately undermining the safety and dignity of Jewish communities.
https://x.com/seanorr/status/1909747698091409772
https://x.com/CJPME/status/1909955610155581583