York student unions face major backlash after releasing a statement in support of Palestine

A recent statement by three student associations has caused controversy at York.

On Oct. 12, the York Federation of Students (YFS) and two other student associations posted a joint statement of solidarity with Palestine. Hillel, a Jewish student organization at York, responded by calling on YFS to remove their statement in order to fully represent York students. York has recently said it “unequivocally condemns” the “inflammatory” statement issued by YFS and the other student associations.

YFS, which represents over 50,000 students, issued the statement alongside the Glendon College Student Union (GCSU) and York University’s Graduate Association (YUGSA). Hillel’s response to the statement was joined by Allied Voices for Israel and Stand With Us Canada.

In their joint statement, the three student associations state they are in “unwavering support” of the Palestinian people and “their ongoing fight against settler-colonialism, apartheid, and genocide. We vehemently condemn all forms of colonial violence and support Indigenous sovereignty.”

The statement reads: “In a strong act of resistance, the Palestinian people tore down and crossed the illegitimate border fence erected by the settler-colonial apartheid state of so-called Israel. These resistance efforts are a direct response to the ongoing and violent occupation of Palestine.”

Hillel has responded, saying they are “appalled” by the statement and that it contains “blatantly prejudiced remarks.” 

“YFS’s decision not to condemn the attack by Hamas on Israel and the intentional and large-scale targeting of noncombatants sends a clear message — the YFS views civilians in Israel as legitimate targets,” says Hillel in an Instagram post.

York says the student unions’ statement promotes and justifies violence against unarmed civilians, and that such claims are abhorrent and do not reflect the views of the university and its thousands of students.

Conversely, the student unions also claim that mainstream media is using “strategic rhetoric” to ignore the decades of violence inflicted against the Palestinian people. “These events serve as a reminder that resistance against colonial violence is justified and necessary,” the associations add in the statement.

On the other hand, Hillel’s statement describes YFS’s response as indicating an “extreme” and “deliberate disregard” for all Jewish and non-Jewish students affected by the violent acts. Hillel requested York’s administration to ensure YFS protects Jewish students from discrimination and anti-Semitism. 

York’s response calls on the executives of YFS, YUGSA, and GCSU “to immediately clarify that they firmly reject any acts of violence or discrimination against Jewish students or other members of the community, and to reaffirm their commitment to non-violence and the safety of all of their members.” 

The responses from the student groups and unions come in the wake of a divisive and complex war between Israel and Hamas. On Oct. 7, thousands of Hamas militants stormed the Israel border, which resulted in the killing of more than 1,300 people, including several Canadians. Last week, York condemned these recent attacks in a tweet.

Some of the horrific scenes occurred at the SuperNova music festival, where invading gunmen opened fire and captured Israelis attending the music festival. CNN also reports that Hamas captured 150 hostages following their raids in southern Israel.

According to the Israeli Air Force (IAF), Israel responded with approximately six thousand bombs on Gaza between Oct. 7–12. Officials in Palestine are saying more than 1,500 people have died in the Israeli retaliation strikes. Israel’s response also included cutting off access to food, water, and fuel supplies for Gaza, as reported by CBC News.

More recently, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have warned approximately 1.1 million people living in Gaza to relocate south.

Calls for vigilance are being made in Canada for Jewish institutions and communities, as a former head of Hamas called for a “Day of Jihad” on Friday, Oct. 13. 

According to Yahoo News, the RCMP said they are aware of the social media posts threatening Canadian Jewish communities and have been upping their patrols in response to these concerns.

Despite the backlash from Hillel and York administrators, YFS’s statement is still public. And the incident is even making headlines in major Canadian news media organizations like the Toronto Sun, National Post, Global News, and CP24.