Susan Kim is one in all two politicians in Canada whose names seem on the letter.
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Victoria metropolis councillor Susan Kim is dealing with criticism for signing an open letter that characterised reviews of sexual violence throughout Hamas’s Oct. 7 assault in Israel as an “unverified accusation.”
Kim is one in all two politicians in Canada whose names seem on the letter. The opposite is unbiased Ontario MPP Sarah Jama, who was faraway from the Ontario NDP and censured for her feedback on the Israel-Hamas battle final month.
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A web-based petition calling Victoria council to censure Kim, forbid her from sporting a keffiyeh — a checkered scarf that has change into an emblem of Palestinian nationalism — in council chambers, and take away her from her board appointments had about 250 signatures as of Saturday night. The petition was initiated by former Victoria council candidate Janice Williams.
Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto couldn’t be instantly reached for remark.
Kim stated she was flying again to Victoria on Saturday after attending a world discussion board in Korea and can be out there for feedback after she landed.
On Saturday, Kim restricted entry to her account on X, previously generally known as Twitter, to current followers. In her final public submit, she stated she “doesn’t tolerate antisemitism, genocide, or racism.”
With greater than 2,100 listed signees, the open letter — which has drawn worldwide media consideration — requires Canadian political leaders to hunt a right away ceasefire and the opening of humanitarian corridors in Gaza.
It isn’t obvious who began the doc, when it was began, or whether or not the identification of the individuals whose names seem on it had been verified.
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The letter begins with “We, the undersigned, residing in so-called Canada.” The letter criticizes federal NDP chief Jagmeet Singh, claiming he “repeated the unverified accusation that Palestinians had been responsible of sexual violence.”
Along with demanding a right away ceasefire within the Israel-Hamas battle, the letter calls on parliamentarians to each resign and demand Israel “free all Palestinian prisoners” and “carry its siege on Gaza.”
The open letter was endorsed by the College of Alberta Sexual Assault Centre, prompting the college to fireplace Samantha Pearson, the centre’s director, on Saturday.
U of A president Invoice Flanagan stated within the discover asserting her firing that the letter which she signed “has raised comprehensible issues from members of our neighborhood and the general public.”
The college’s internet web page says the centre “supplies drop-in disaster intervention help, long-term psychotherapy, and complete anti-sexual violence schooling to the campus neighborhood.”
Colwood Coun. Ian Ward stated he thought-about resigning from the Better Victoria Public Library board in an act of protest after he came upon that Kim, a fellow board member, was a letter signee.
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“It’s one factor to advocate for peace and a ceasefire and humanity. It’s one other to kind of pin all of it on one facet, query their credibility, [and] quote literal terrorist calls for,” he stated of the letter.
Ward stated he has no concern with the greater than 50 native B.C. politicians who’ve signed a separate name for ceasefire.
“Calling for a ceasefire in my thoughts, whereas maybe naive, will not be essentially malicious,” he stated. “Each single politician or particular person has the proper to specific both their help for Israel [or] their help for Palestine.”
Ward stated he takes offence to the doubt the letter casts on survivors of sexual violence in Israel.
Ward, who has Jewish household by marriage, stated he feels the duty to talk up. He needs Kim to resign and concern a public apology.
The subsequent library board assembly shall be in December. “We’ll be at reverse ends of the desk, that’s for certain,” he stated.
Israeli authorities have stated they’re investigating a number of instances of sexual assault and rape throughout Hamas’s Oct. 7 assault that killed an estimated 1,200 individuals.
On Tuesday, Israel’s nationwide police chief confirmed a small group of worldwide reporters video testimony of a gang rape occurring on Oct. 7 from an eye fixed witness at a music competition in southern Israel.
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The girl within the video, her face blurred, described watching militants gang rape and mutilate one other lady earlier than one in all them shot her within the head whereas he was assaulting her.
Israeli officers stated it’s been more durable to collect proof and that it’s additionally difficult to get individuals to come back ahead. Police stated that they had no instances of rape survivors, additional complicating the investigation.
Hamas militants — some cheerfully filming themselves endeavor grotesque killings — killed about 1,200 Israelis within the shock assaults on Oct. 7, together with lots of of civilians of their properties and at an out of doors music competition.
Israel declared battle on Hamas and commenced an airstrike marketing campaign and reduce off meals, gas, water and provides to Gaza, which is house to 2.3 million Palestinians.
Well being officers within the territory say greater than 11,470 individuals have been killed, nearly all of them ladies and youngsters, and one other 2,700 individuals are reported lacking. As much as two-thirds of the inhabitants have been internally displaced.
Information of the open letter has been reported on internationally by shops together with the Occasions of Israel and the Every day Mail in the UK.
— With information from The Canadian Press and AP
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