The World of Sam Reynolds

The highlight of Tel Aviv, in celebration of the city’s 100th anniversary, in this month’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has drawn a boycott by a group of political pundits, and actors spearheaded by John Greyson whom accuse the event of being “complicit in the Israeli propaganda machine”. In an open letter, which includes the signature of one of the more vocal members of the group, controversial Canadian author Naomi Klein, the decleration accuses Israel of being an “apartheid regime” and objects to TIFF playing host to Israeli films particularly “in the wake of this year’s brutal assault on Gaza”.
Klein, the leftist author known best for her book The Shock Doctrine, continues on her blog that she feels ‘ashamed of Toronto [for playing host to the festival]’ and that this is merely a ‘strategy to counter growing global anger at Israel’s defiance of international law.’

Anita Bromberg doesn’t agree.

“There is no denying that problems exist in the Middle East, suggesting a cultural boycott is part of the problem not the solution!” exclaims Bromberg.
Bromberg is a representative for B’nai Birth Canada, a national Jewish advocacy group. The group dedicates itself to fighting anti Semitism and promoting peace throughout the world.

The spokeswoman continues: “Klein came out fighting without knowing the facts, almost as part of a propaganda campaign against Israel.”
This is in reference that the films at the festival were not viewed as part of the boycott by the signatories of the Toronto Declaration. A similar frustration with the group was brought forward in a National Post op-ed by Canadian-Hungarian film maker Robert Lantos. In the column published on September 11 he echoes Bromberg’s argument that “That there is a definite de-legitimization of a community’s wish for nationhood. Undoubtedly this propaganda war is connected to anti Semitism.”

Both Bromberg and Lantos seem to agree that any protest against Israeli foreign policy could be a facade for anti Semitism.
“Naomi Klein may not be an anti Semite, but she is using the tools of the anti Semites, maybe unwittingly.” concludes Bromberg.

The mouthpiece of the Toronto Declaration was quick to respond to any criticism brought forward by Lantos, and other like minded groups. In a blogpost on the activist site rabble.ca, the group disputes that they are against censorship , and claiming that they are merely against the spotlight of Tel Aviv. Continuing through the prose, they make the odd assertion that this “dubious partnership” between Israel and the TIFF is similar to the premiere of the Canadian First World War film Passchendaele. At the premiere, serving members of the Canadian Forces posed with a tank – a demonstration to raise awareness of the role of the Canadian Forces in defending our freedom throughout the history of this country. The author of the post muses that: “many of us were disturbed by this uncritical collaboration with the Canadian army, currently fighting in Afghanistan.”

While the members of the Declaration adamantly refuted any claims of anti Semitism, Bromberg’s statement in reference to Naomi Klein that “She may not be anti Semite, but she is [they are] using the tools of the anti Semites, maybe unwittingly.” appears to hold true.