COLUMN: Think Again – I am proud to be a Zionist

Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state.

If you agree with this statement, then you are a Zionist. If you don’t, then you are not. It really is that simple.

To be clear, being a Zionist doesn’t mean agreeing with every decision made by Israel’s current government. Nor does it require you to dismiss the legitimate concerns of Palestinian people who also live in the region.

Rather, being a Zionist simply means you recognize that Jewish people have a right to exist as a nation in their ancestral homeland. Sadly, many people in Canada have no problem describing themselves as anti-Zionist.

For example, in a recent NDP leadership debate on Palestine, presumed frontrunner Avi Lewis openly described himself as an “anti-Zionist Jewish person.” The other three candidates in the debate were equally critical of Israel and even agreed that Canada should recognize the Nakba, a term that characterizes the 1948 establishment of the State of Israel as a “catastrophe.”

We’ve seen an onslaught of anti-Semitism in Canada since Hamas terrorists carried out their brutal Oct. 7th attacks against Israel. Threats against synagogues, vandalism of Jewish-owned businesses, and harassment of Jewish leaders have sadly become far too common in this country. When protesters shout, “From the river to the sea Palestine will be free,” they are essentially calling for the destruction of Israel.

Sadly, even this doesn’t go far enough for some anti-Zionists. An organization called Just Peace Advocates recently started an online campaign targeting Jewish summer camps. It compiled a list of 17 overnight summer camps throughout Canada that “support the state of Israel in some way” and “encourage support for a genocidal, settler state.”

On the front page of its website, Just Peace Advocates boldly states, “When children’s camps support a genocidal state, it’s time for a gigantic change.” This is not a call for reasoned debate or sensible compromise. It’s a demand that Jewish children lose access to the camps where their identity is fully supported. This is unacceptable.

Research published by sociologist Robert Brym in November 2024 shows that 94 percent of Jewish people in Canada support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state and 84 percent are strongly or somewhat emotionally attached to Israel. Thus, it’s important that we as Canadians not equivocate on this fundamental question.

Fortunately, some political leaders are showing commendable moral clarity on this issue. For example, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is clear in his support for Israel and has said that he will “unapologetically stand with Israel through fire and water.” Local Provencher MP Ted Falk has also been steadfast in his support of Israel, as have most members of the Conservative caucus.

The same cannot be said of the Liberals and NDP. While some Liberal MPs, notably Montreal MP Anthony Housefather, express support for Zionism, the Liberal government as a whole has been tepid at best in its support for Israel. It’s a significant shift away from the moral clarity that we saw from the Stephen Harper government.

As for the NDP, none of the current leadership contestants dares to say anything positive about Israel. That’s because their party membership is overwhelmingly anti-Zionist, and prospective leaders don’t want to offend their potential supporters. Interestingly, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair was always steadfast in his support for Israel. That likely contributed to his ouster as party leader after the 2015 federal election.

I support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. If you agree, that makes you a Zionist too. Let’s make sure our Jewish neighbours know that we support them.

Michael Zwaagstra is a teacher and deputy mayor of Steinbach. He can be reached at mzwaagstra@shaw.ca.