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The Artistic Director of a Theatre Posted Hateful Comments About Israel — And I Lost My Position

November 2023: An Israeli soldier helps to provide incubators to Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza. Photo: Screenshot

We tend to think of today’s antisemites and Israel-haters as the masked protesters trying to intimidate Jewish students on university campuses, or perhaps the professors who sympathize with Hamas and refuse to recognize Israel’s right to exist.

But there’s another kind of person who lurks beneath the surface, who cleverly knows how to spew hatred about Israel but remains outside the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism. They might even be soft-spoken and are usually supportive of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Yet, in a moment of weakness — perhaps after they’ve been watching the horrible images coming from Gaza — they can’t help themselves and take to social media.

This was the case with the artistic director of a small independent theatre company in Montreal, who in January 2023 posted an open letter to members of Parliament on his Facebook page.

It started on an empathetic note: “My stomach churns as I write to you on what should be a peaceful Saturday morning … I cherish all members of my community. I value mutual understanding, empathy, dialogue, creative solutions and facing conflicts from a starting point of love and an attempt to listen to and understand each other.”

Adding a measure of protection, he continued: “I wish to be clear. I have many dear friends that are Jewish, and many that are Israeli … The people of Israel are NOT their government.” (But in a democracy, yes, many of them are. And even amongst those critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, almost all Israelis support the war against Hamas in Gaza — which is a war for Israel’s survival.)

And then the artistic director let it rip: “Israel is actively annihilating the people of Gaza … The government of Israel needs to be BETTER than HAMAS.”

“They have shockingly pulled the wool over our eyes as they unapologetically destroy families and blindly and recklessly murder and maim innocent civilians.”

“Under Netanyahu, Israel is quickly becoming a … pariah state, and they are undeniably enacting genocidal atrocities upon the entire population of Gaza.”

Yes — he not only falsely accused Israel of genocide, but charged the country with “pulling the wool” over the eyes of the global population — an antisemitic trope that literally goes back hundreds of years.

I’m sure we’ve all seen such posts from people who we might know — or thought we knew — but what happens when these comments come from the person who is your employer or supervisor? What if you yourself happen to be Jewish or Israeli?

And what happens if, suddenly, after working for this institution, you suddenly find yourself demoted, sidelined, or not having your contract renewed?

Unfortunately, that is exactly my situation.

I’ve served this theatre company as the director of new play development and an associate artist for the past four years. My responsibilities as an independent contractor included chairing a five-person jury for a competition to select the best new plays by Quebec playwrights, as well as running a youth playwriting contest, which I initiated, and trust they will let me continue.

The news of my removal from jury duty came via email on October 23.

“There is a long list of folks around town that have very little work and creative outlets at the moment, and I feel it’s the right thing to bring in a fresh new jury for this year’s competition,” it read. (In the past, the other four jury positions were rotated.)

By that logic, shouldn’t the artistic director step aside in order to give other unemployed artistic directors an opportunity?

This isn’t about money. Theatre will never make anyone rich. In fact, I was instrumental in securing a grant from a pro-Israel foundation to fund my position. (Apparently, Israeli money is still acceptable.)

Is it possible that all this is a coincidence? Absolutely. But my issue is hardly an isolated case.

Recently, in Maryland, an Israeli tech worker at Intel was fired after complaining about his boss’ hateful Israel bashing, and is now suing the company. On the other side of the coin, numerous teachers and professors — even some with tenure — have been fired for their anti-Israel hate speech because they can no longer be trusted to remain objective in assessing their Jewish and Israeli students. It’s even happened at the highest levels of power: The Wall Street Journal reported last week that a longtime special advisor on genocide at the United Nations had her contract terminated because she refuted the position that Israel’s campaign in Gaza did not meet the definition of genocide.

It took me less than five minutes to uncover the artistic director’s diatribe. I searched back on his timeline, looking for any other mention of “barbaric” countries, but couldn’t find any. No mention of Russia’s completely unjustified or provoked invasion of Ukraine, or dozens of other wars raging around the globe. Nothing about Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan, Syria, or the present war in Sudan that has seen up to 150,000 civilians killed.

He didn’t even mention the atrocities against Israeli civilians that took place on October 7. In fact, on Oct. 8, he posted an ad for his upcoming play.

I’m not an advocate for censorship, but there’s a larger question here: how can the leader of a company or organization publicly make damning, hateful, inaccurate and out-of-context statements about some of the most complicated matters of the day and remain objective about hiring or firing employees — especially when they’re members of groups that the leader publicly maligns, like myself.

Interestingly, when I brought forward my concerns about the artistic director’s statement to the company’s board of directors, suggesting that he should at least acknowledge that his criticisms of Israel may have gone too far, my request was unanimously rejected.

Montreal was recently rocked by violent protests laden with antisemitic overtones that made headlines around the world.

That hate didn’t arise from nowhere.

Oren Safdie is a playwright and screenwriter.

The post The Artistic Director of a Theatre Posted Hateful Comments About Israel — And I Lost My Position first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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After False Dawns, Gazans Hope Trump Will Force End to Two-Year-Old War

Palestinians walk past a residential building destroyed in previous Israeli strikes, after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept some other terms in a US plan to end the war, in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa

Exhausted Palestinians in Gaza clung to hopes on Saturday that US President Donald Trump would keep up pressure on Israel to end a two-year-old war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced the entire population of more than two million.

Hamas’ declaration that it was ready to hand over hostages and accept some terms of Trump’s plan to end the conflict while calling for more talks on several key issues was greeted with relief in the enclave, where most homes are now in ruins.

“It’s happy news, it saves those who are still alive,” said 32-year-old Saoud Qarneyta, reacting to Hamas’ response and Trump’s intervention. “This is enough. Houses have been damaged, everything has been damaged, what is left? Nothing.”

GAZAN RESIDENT HOPES ‘WE WILL BE DONE WITH WARS’

Ismail Zayda, 40, a father of three, displaced from a suburb in northern Gaza City where Israel launched a full-scale ground operation last month, said: “We want President Trump to keep pushing for an end to the war, if this chance is lost, it means that Gaza City will be destroyed by Israel and we might not survive.

“Enough, two years of bombardment, death and starvation. Enough,” he told Reuters on a social media chat.

“God willing this will be the last war. We will hopefully be done with the wars,” said 59-year-old Ali Ahmad, speaking in one of the tented camps where most Palestinians now live.

“We urge all sides not to backtrack. Every day of delay costs lives in Gaza, it is not just time wasted, lives get wasted too,” said Tamer Al-Burai, a Gaza City businessman displaced with members of his family in central Gaza Strip.

After two previous ceasefires — one near the start of the war and another earlier this year — lasted only a few weeks, he said; “I am very optimistic this time, maybe Trump’s seeking to be remembered as a man of peace, will bring us real peace this time.”

RESIDENT WORRIES THAT NETANYAHU WILL ‘SABOTAGE’ DEAL

Some voiced hopes of returning to their homes, but the Israeli military issued a fresh warning to Gazans on Saturday to stay out of Gaza City, describing it as a “dangerous combat zone.”

Gazans have faced previous false dawns during the past two years, when Trump and others declared at several points during on-off negotiations between Hamas, Israel and Arab and US mediators that a deal was close, only for war to rage on.

“Will it happen? Can we trust Trump? Maybe we trust Trump, but will Netanyahu abide this time? He has always sabotaged everything and continued the war. I hope he ends it now,” said Aya, 31, who was displaced with her family to Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.

She added: “Maybe there is a chance the war ends at October 7, two years after it began.”

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Mass Rally in Rome on Fourth Day of Italy’s Pro-Palestinian Protests

A Pro-Palestinian demonstrator waves a Palestinian flag during a national protest for Gaza in Rome, Italy, October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Claudia Greco

Large crowds assembled in central Rome on Saturday for the fourth straight day of protests in Italy since Israel intercepted an international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza, and detained its activists.

People holding banners and Palestinian flags, chanting “Free Palestine” and other slogans, filed past the Colosseum, taking part in a march that organizers hoped would attract at least 1 million people.

“I’m here with a lot of other friends because I think it is important for us all to mobilize individually,” Francesco Galtieri, a 65-year-old musician from Rome, said. “If we don’t all mobilize, then nothing will change.”

Since Israel started blocking the flotilla late on Wednesday, protests have sprung up across Europe and in other parts of the world, but in Italy they have been a daily occurrence, in multiple cities.

On Friday, unions called a general strike in support of the flotilla, with demonstrations across the country that attracted more than 2 million, according to organizers. The interior ministry estimated attendance at around 400,000.

Italy’s right-wing government has been critical of the protests, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggesting that people would skip work for Gaza just as an excuse for a longer weekend break.

On Saturday, Meloni blamed protesters for insulting graffiti that appeared on a statue of the late Pope John Paul II outside Rome’s main train station, where Pro-Palestinian groups have been holding a protest picket.

“They say they are taking to the streets for peace, but then they insult the memory of a man who was a true defender and builder of peace. A shameful act committed by people blinded by ideology,” she said in a statement.

Israel launched its Gaza offensive after Hamas terrorists staged a cross border attack on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 people hostage.

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Hamas Says It Agrees to Release All Israeli Hostages Under Trump Gaza Plan

Smoke rises during an Israeli military operation in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, October 2, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas

Hamas said on Friday it had agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza proposal, and signaled readiness to immediately enter mediated negotiations to discuss the details.

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