The past few weeks have served as a reminder of the accumulation of local emergencies in Montreal. With the last municipal election focused largely on issues like the housing crisis, homelessness and failing infrastructure, it is appalling to see the official opposition at city council, for the second time in a few months, try to preserve political capital by calling on Montreal to cut ties with Israel.
As the Aug. 24 city council meeting approaches, Projet Montréal’s reintroduction of its divisive and incendiary anti-Israel motion, which is written in a haphazard, unnuanced and biased manner, once again appears more like a political manoeuvre than a genuine desire to serve Montrealers.
The motion is perplexing, as it offers no solutions and fails to advance any debate. Worse, it adds fuel to the fire and risks jeopardizing the safety of the Jewish community. And thousands of Montrealers spoke out against this motion in June.