Montreal City Council passes amended Palestinian solidarity motion

Montreal City Council has passed an amended motion expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people. The final version, which passed with a 54-6 vote, removed controversial clauses from the original proposal by Projet Montréal that had called for the suspension of institutional and diplomatic ties with Israel.

Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada maintained that international diplomacy falls outside the mandate of municipal governance, emphasizing that the city must focus on local issues and social cohesion. During the proceedings, pro-Palestinian activists gathered at City Hall to support the motion, while Jewish community leaders and organizations, including B’nai Brith Canada, urged the council to reject it, citing concerns over antisemitism and community safety.

In a separate incident in Toronto, the Toronto Police Service’s hate crimes unit launched an investigation into a speaker at an anti-Israel rally. University lecturer Dr. Abbas Hamze is identified as the individual who allegedly used antisemitic tropes, including claims that Zionists ‘rape, kill, and eat children’ and engage in ‘black magic.’ The remarks, which circulated widely on social media, have drawn condemnation from Jewish watchdog groups.