Mark Vandermaas honoured as part of Zachor Coalition at National Holocaust ceremony, Ottawa

VoiceofCanada editor Mark Vandermaas was called to the stage at the National Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony to be part of the candle-lighting ceremony in honour of the ‘Zachor Coalition’ — the group of organizations who contributed to the event’s success.

120423 Mark Vandermaas (white shirt & tie, behind podium) with other members of ‘Zachor Coalition,’ National Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony, Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

In the audience were 45 people who had travelled with Mark via a bus sponsored by the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem including, Caledonia activists Gary & Christine McHale as well as Merlyn Kinrade and his daughter Olivia, along with Al Gretzky from the International Free Press Society; Steve Scheffer from Hamilton’s Never Again group, and Rabbi Jonathan Hausman who flew up from Boston to ride the bus with his ‘Favourite Gentile.’

At his March 21/12 Israel Truth Week Conference in London, which was held at Royal View Church (where Caledonia activist Gary McHale’s message to Christians about the evils of racism – especially anti-Semitism – and about the necessity of paying a price for their beliefs was very well received), Mark announced that the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem had offered to provide a bus to take people to Ottawa for the ceremony. Dr. Peter Marshall of the Victory International Church in Hamilton enthusiastically supported the trip and approximately half the bus’s 46 passengers were members of his 1,000-strong congregation.

SUN TV: ‘The Caledonia Crusader’ talks about racist Supreme Court decision; then heads to Israel Consulate to stand with Jewish Defence League

120330 Gary McHale (CANACE) - Meir Weinstein (Jewish Defence League)- Merlyn Kinrade (CANACE), JDL protest at Israel Consulate v. GM2J

Gary McHale – ‘The Caledonia Crusader’ – appeared on the Brian Lilley Show yesterday with David Menzies to talk about the racist decision by the Supreme Court of Canada to devalue the lives of victims of crime – native and non-Native –  when they and their communities are victimized by repeat native offenders.

• SUN News Network, Brian Lilley Show, David Menzies, March 30/12: ‘The Caledonia Crusader’

After taping the show earlier in the day at the SUN studio in Toronto Gary and Christine McHale, along with Caledonia hero Merlyn Kinrade (all of Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality – CANACE); Mark Vandermaas (Israel Truth Week/Caledonia Victims Project); Al Gretzky & Mary Lou Ambrogio (International Free Press Society); and members of the Hamilton-based Never Again Group spent the rest of the day at the Israel Consulate on Bloor Street to support the Jewish Defence League’s call to rally against planned protests by anti-Semitic forces  in connection with the so-called, ‘Global March to Jerusalem.’

SUN TV’s Michael Coren re Israel Truth Week: “The resistance has begun!”

Apologies to readers. This article was published in error.

Please see this link for the original:

https://voiceofcanada.wordpress.com/2012/03/08/sun-tvs-michael-coren-re-israel-truth-week-vs-iaw-the-resistance-has-begun/

POSTED BY:
Mark Vandermaas
Editor, VoiceofCanada
Founder, IsraelTruthWeek.org
mark@israeltruthweek.org

SUN TV’s Michael Coren re Israel Truth Week vs. IAW: “The resistance has begun!”

You won’t hear these slogan-soundbites in the video below because SUN TV host Michael Coren was using them as audience teasers during segment breaks on tonight’s show:

“Israel Apartheid Week?
The resistance has begun!”

“Israel Apartheid Week:
Some normal people are saying NO.”

(About Vandermaas & Laughton):
“They’re not Jewish. Just fair.”

“In response to ‘Israeli Apartheid Week’, Mark Vandermaas
and Stuart Laughton have responded by promoting ‘Israel Truth Week’.”

SUN News TV, ‘The Arena’ w/Michael Coren, March 07/12:
‘Israel Truth Week’ [VIDEO, 9:33]

HAMILTON ANTI-IAW RESISTANCE BEGINS MARCH 20TH! The Never Again Group is hosting its own anti-IAW resistance event on March 20/12 at McMaster University in Hamilton, the day before the Israel Truth Week Conference in London. Details on both events here.

Many thanks to Stuart Laughton and the Never Again Group. Stuart was also one of the speakers at our ‘Caledonia Act’ news conference in the Ontario Queen’s Park Legislature Media Studio:

• VoiceofCanada, Feb 13/12: Stuart Laughton, Never Again Group speech at Caledonia Act news conference: Individuals are the ultimate minorities

A SUN hat-trick!

While Stuart and I were waiting in makeup to be taken into the studio we were thrilled when Ezra Levant stopped by for a few minutes to chat and thank us for coming. But, the SUN hat-trick was complete when I ran into the legendary Toronto SUN founder Peter Worthington quite by happenstance when I got lost looking for the washroom, and finally got the chance to introduce myself to one of my heroes.

ANNOUNCING: 2012 Israel Truth Week Conference – ‘ISRAEL: THE CASE FOR THE DEFENCE,’ London ON, March 21st.

Many of you followed my 26-day ‘Blue Beret’ vigil during last summer’s ‘Boat to Gaza’ flotilla fiasco.

 

After reading about the recent intimidation of Jewish students at Western University here in London (Jewish Tribune, Feb 09/12, ‘UWO Students Disrupt Jewish Event’) I – with help from other friends of Israel – have organized a direct response to this outrage via the first ‘Israel Truth Week Conference’ to be held in London on March 21st. to show Jewish students and families that they are not alone, that non-Jews are prepared to stand with them against the incitement and vilification directed towards them, particularly during the so-called ‘Israel Apartheid Week.’

 

The theme of the conference is…

 

‘ISRAEL: THE CASE FOR THE DEFENCE.’

 

A colour e-brochure and a B&W version for printing can be downloaded at the IsraelTruthWeek.org website.

 

In additon to a field of great presenters, including Rabbi Jonathan Hausman; Dr. Salim Mansur (author of ‘Delectable Lie: A liberal repudiation of multiculturalism); and Rev. Joe Campbell I will be discussing the evidence showing the involvement of anti-Israel groups in supporting the lawlessness during the Caledonia crisis in the context of explaining how our work there led me to begin this project.

 

Israel-based media watchdog recognizes member of Canada’s Never Again Group

The Israel-based world media watchdog, Honest Reporting, which claims  over 140,000 subscribers, has honoured one of Canada’s Never Again Group members with its ‘Letter of the Month’ award for November 2011.

Day 11 of 'Blue Beret' vigil outside London (Ontario, Canada) Muslim Mosque. In foreground, Pesach Ovadyah (Chair, Jewish Defence League - London), former peacekeeper Mark Vandermaas (organizer), Steve Scheffer (Never Again Group, Hamilton), July 03/11. PHOTO: Christine McHale, Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality.

 In actuality, Steve Scheffer (wearing Israeli flag in photo above on Day 11 of my Blue Beret vigil) is being recognized for having two letters published in the Hamilton Spectator in defence of truth in the Middle East, letters in which he condemns Islamist hate for Jews and points out that it is this hatred that is the obstacle to peace, not Israeli intransigence.

• Honest Reporting, Dec 14/11: Letter of the Month – November 2011

Gerofsky: How to defeat Islamism

by Gary Gerofsky, Never Again Group, Canada

How to defeat Islamism

 The only non-military response to Islamism and the creeping sharia (Islamic law) that is infecting the world is through strength and activism against this scourge and against those in power who are facilitating Islamist expansion. The generations that went before us defeated communism and fascism, and now we must step up to the plate to defeat Islamism. This task is made seriously difficult because we have a Muslim supporter in the White House and weak, ignorant, misinformed leaders married to multiculturalism, wishful thinking, and leftism that is intent on appeasing Islamists in all but a few places (For political reasons related to 9/11, Al Qaeda seems to be the only real Islamist concern for the Obama administration.)

VoiceofCanada’s 21 minute course: ANTI-ISRAEL PROPAGANDA 101

Ethnic cleansing of Palestinians or a struggle for survival against genocidal anti-Semitism? 

UPDATED Dec 15/11 — In this short course, which should take you no more than 21 minutes or so to complete, you’ll learn how to distinguish fact from fiction before entering into any debate on the Middle East issue, and you will have the satisfaction of knowing you will likely be the most informed person in the room.

Take your time to explore the references cited. Fact check them on your own, but be prepared to be both challenged and repulsed by the enormity of the historical fabrications being foisted on the naive and gullible as part of the war to destroy the state of Israel and her Jews.

LESSON 1: How Israel came into existence – the Palestinian version

The video below can (as of 11:41pm July 15/11) be found in the right side margin of the ‘Uprooted Palestinians‘ website above a cartoon showing two smiling ‘Hamas’ terrorists looming large over a cowering Israeli soldier. It is typical of the claims made by the anti-Israel side:

At 1:43 the video begins to discuss ‘The Nakba (1948)‘ and goes on to say, ‘During the Nakba hundreds of massacres were committed by Zionist terror gangs.”

At the 2:00 min mark the producer states: “During the Nakba around 80% of the Palestinians were expelled from their home and made refugees by Zionist terror gangs.”

At 2:40 it asserts, “During the Nakba 531 Palestinian villages & towns…were ethnically cleansed & destroyed.” The producer shows dead bodies as ‘proof’ of the Jewish atrocities against the innocent Arabs:

• ‘A Voice From Palestine’, May 13/11: The On-Going Nakba of Palestine…63 years later [VIDEO, 4:53]

LESSON 2: How Israel came into existence – the Israeli version

Now that you’ve watched the pro-Palestinian version of events, consider this one by ‘Prager University,’ operated by Dennis Prager, a graduate of the Middle East Institute at Columbia University:

• ‘Prager University,’ Oct 24/10: The Middle East Problem [VIDEO, 5:59]

Mark Vandermaas letter to London Free Press editor

From: Mark Vandermaas
Sent: Monday, July 11/2011  9:34 PM
To: Joe Ruscitti
CC: Gary McHale

Subject: letter re tomorrow’s protest – requesting your side of the story

Mr. Joe Ruscitti, Editor
London Free Press

.

Dear Mr. Ruscitti:

.

Earlier today I sent out an email (cc’d to you) confirming that my protest at the London Free Press tomorrow would go ahead as planned from approx 11:15-1:00pm. I have spoken to Cst Holland at the London Police Service CORE Unit to let him know about the protest, and to confirm I’m not anticipating any issues. We will keep the sidewalks clear and we will not be harassing your employees in any way other than handing out literature.

.

I understand you are upset with me printing our emails and those of Leila Paul regarding your need to consult with Muslims before publishing her article. If the situation were reversed, I know I would feel the same. It was not something I did lightly, and I have never done it before. We have worked with media for years during the Caledonia crisis and I well understand that we need journalists on our side, not angry with us. Unfortunately, I had to weigh the public good against the consequences of burning my bridge with London’s only major daily. I’m sorry, but I would do it again in a heartbeat because the stakes are just too important.

.

If the London Free Press believes it is acceptable not to report fundamental facts countering the anti-Israel hysteria, and the the role of a religious institution in our community – no matter what the denomination – in supporting a mission which, if successful, will ultimately result in weapons getting in the hands of a terror organization sworn to exterminate Jews, then I must take exception.

The op-ed the London Free Press refused to print: ‘Blue Berets for Peace vigil in London,’ by Gary McHale

The article & photo below were submitted to the Editor of the London Free Press on July 11/11 who informed Mr. McHale the same day that it would not be published. Hyperlinks in body text added for publication here. (Feel free to reprint article & use photo w/link-back, please)

Blue Berets for Peace vigil outside London Muslim Mosque on Oxford St. In foreground, Pesach Ovadyah (Chair, Jewish Defence League – London), Mark Vandermaas (organizer), Steve Scheffer (Never Again Group, Hamilton). PHOTO: Christine McHale, Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality.

Blue Berets for Peace vigil in London 

by Gary McHale

David Heap, a UWO professor, and Muhammed Hamou, a teacher, chaplain, and former operations manager at the London Muslim Mosque are part of an international team who attempted to travel to the Gaza Strip aboard a 10-ship flotilla in an attempt to break Israel’s blockade of weapons to Hamas. While it was promoted as a humanitarian effort, the trip now appears to have been more about embarrassing Israel then helping people. While there are true humanitarian disasters in the world, Gaza is not one of those places.

In April 2011 Mathilde Redmatn, Deputy Head of the Red Cross stated, “There is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza.” Recent news stories tell of how Gaza is opening luxury hotels, a large water park, schools, large malls and how food is abundant. Khalil Hamada, a senior Hamas official with Gaza’s Ministry of Justice stated, in June 2010, “There is no starvation in Gaza. No one has died of hunger.”

Mark Vandermaas, a Londoner who served in the Mid-East as a United Nations peacekeeper in 1978, has been conducting a daily Blue Berets for Peace vigil at the mosque on Oxford St. since June 23rd. to call attention to the fact that the mosque held a fundraising dinner for the Canadian boat to Gaza, which is under the control of Hamas, labelled as a terror organization by the Canadian Government.

United Nations rules Israel blockade of Hamas weapons is lawful

On this, the 16th day of my Blue Beret vigil outside the London (Ontario) Muslim Mosque, which I began on June 23/11 in order to draw attention to its support (fundraising + a ‘delegate’) for the Canadian Boat to Gaza’s attempt to break Israel’s blockade of weapons to the Hamas terrorist organization, I am pleased to report that the United Nations has ruled that the blockade is lawful.

Michael Ross, a veteran of the Israel Secret Intelligence Service, is reporting the details as follows, in part:

More bad news for the dwindling number of flotilla activists hanging around the ports of Greece. The now completed UN Inquiry on last year’s Gaza flotilla incident aboard the Mavi Marmara found that Israel’s blockade of Hamas-ruled Gaza is legal and the Israeli government owes no apology or reparation to Turkey.

Jacob Peretz to London Free Press: Coverage of Gaza boat story shameful as voyage itself

Letter to London Free Press submitted by resident, Jacob Peretz, who was the first member of the London Jewish community to show support for the Blue Beret vigil outside the London (Muslim) Mosque, on Day 3 – June 25/11 (I have made some minor typographical corrections).

Jacob sent a copy to me after it appeared in the LFP.

————————— 

Middle East

Gaza

I would like to submit a letter Letter to the editor July 5, 2011. The London Free Press (LFP), daily coverage of the “Canadian boat to Gaza” is shameful as is the voyage itself.

Billed as a humanitarian voyage to aid the people of Gaza against “Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza”, this trip is nothing but a provocation against the legitimacy of the state of Israel. The people of Gaza are proud to say that they democratically elected this Hamas government and the world has to accept their votes. These people then have to live with the consequences of a government bent on the destruction of Israel and the elimination of the Jewish people all over the world.

Is free speech at London Free Press now subject to Muslim approval? The ‘Leila Paul’ emails

The ‘Leila Paul’ emails:

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UPDATE: Masters of Deceit (Leila Paul), July 07/11: True Patriot Love – Standing Up To London’s Mosque

————–

On Day 13 of the Blue Beret vigil to protest the London (Ontario) Muslim Mosque’s support for the Canadian Boat to Gaza, I released a statement announcing that the London Free Press had informed me that, despite two interviews (one by phone, one on site), and despite their publishing of several stories about the anti-Israel side of the London connections to the Tahrir, they were not going to report my vigil, or the evidence that led me to begin it:

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• VoiceofCanada, June 22/11:  MEDIA RELEASE: Former Blue Beret to protest London (Ontario) Muslim Mosque support for Canadian Boat to Hamas
• VoiceofCanada feature: UPDATES: ‘Blue Beret’ vigil

On Day 14, I published my email exchange with the editor of the London Free Press, Joe Ruscitti:

• Mark Vandermaas – London Free Press emails:  [PDF].

A former journalist named Leila Paul contacted me through a mutual friend and gave me explicit instructions to publish her email interaction with Editor Ruscitti in which he states – among other things – that he will not publish her opinion piece about the alleged terrorist connections to the funding of an Islamic Chair at Huron College at the University of Western Ontario until after he has had a chance to meet with the Muslim community to try to persuade them to also write a piece.
.
Ms. Paul’s piece was never published by the London Free Press, but you can read it here in her original email to Editor Ruscitti along with his explanation of why he won’t run it:

• Leila Paul – London Free Press emails [PDF]

About Leila Paul

Leila Paul was born in Bethlehem in 1945 and baptized in the Church of the Nativity. She grew up believing she was a Palestinian Arab, yet became increasingly uncomfortable, feeling somehow that she did not belong.

It was this long ago feeling that would eventually bring her to the decision to speak out about her experience with the London Free Press after seeing the the paper’s decision to cover the anti-Israel London connection to the Canadian Boat to Gaza,  yet not report the evidence and facts behind my Blue Beret vigil

I asked Ms. Paul if she would tell readers why she decided to speak out now.

In her own words…

THE LEILA PAUL STORY

For years I tried to remain aloof from the issue after I started having doubts about the real, long term motives of Islamists. It’s only when I acknowledged the truth after Rory Leishman’s column [London Free Press, ‘Media Ignores Islamist Extremism, Sept 30/11 – also spiked by Editor Joe Ruscitti, leading to Leishman’s resignation] that I finally admitted I’d been wrong. Once the wall had collapsed, everything cascaded through. I did a second ancestry test and began to study the anthropology and archeological evidence to discover my instincts were right. My belief is that there is no Palestinian ethnicity but they’ve been indoctrinated by years of Arab Islamic domination. In fact, I’d long suspected that some of my ancestors were Jews and later converted to Christianity.

Mark Vandermaas letter to Hamilton Spectator: ‘Genocidal anti-Semitism is the issue’

On Day 5 (June 27/11) of my ‘Blue Beret’ vigil at the London (Ontario) mosque vs. its support for the Canadian Boat to Hamas, the Hamilton Spectator published a letter to the editor from me, giving it prominence at the top of the Letters page. They did not change a word. Unfortunately, the letter is not available on-line at TheSpec.com .

‘Genocidal anti-Semitism is the issue’

 by Mark Vandermaas, June 27/11
Letter to the Editor of Hamilton Spectator, Ontario, Canada

Re: ‘An opportunity for lasting peace’ by George Sorger (June 22/11)

As a former U.N. peacekeeper (Egypt, 1978) I would like to point out several key facts those who espouse the wishful suggestion that peace will come if Israel withdraws to pre-1967 borders prefer to ignore:

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1. The state of Israel was attacked by multiple Arab armies the day after it announced its independence on May 14, 1948 following its U.N. sanctioned creation as part of a two-state solution. This was nearly 20 years BEFORE Arabs failed again to destroy her in 1967 when Israel seized the West Bank during combat. In 2005 Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip and was rewarded by a hail of rockets directed at its civilians from Hamas which continue to this day.

.

Mark Vandermaas letter to Hamilton Spectator: ‘Genocidal anti-Semitism is the issue’

This article has been republished under a new URL that matches the title chosen by the Hamilton Spectator.

• VoiceofCanada, June 27/11: Mark Vandermaas letter to Hamilton Spectator: ‘Genocidal anti-Semitism is the issue’

Mark Vandermaas, Editor
VoiceofCanada
info@voiceofcanada.ca