URGENT: Ed Corrigan’s libel trial against Zionist accusation he is anti-Semitic ?

NOVANEWS

” Is this is Zio-Nazi Dreyfus Trial ?” Shoah

Please help if you can. This is truly an important case. If Ed loses it,

if the other side succeeds in branding him an anti-Semite because of his
criticism of Israel, the implications will be wide spread.

Thank

Dorothy

Friends

I have now received 28 letters of support from Jewish academics and  activists. I have also received a letter of support from Independent Jewish Voices (Canada) which was previously distributed. I have also received support letter from 8 other prominent activists and authors who are not Jewish. As noted in my previous email I have also received letters of support from the editors of Middle East Policy, Dissident Voice and of  course Jewish Outlook. I am expecting several more such letters from other publishers. Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East

(CJPME) have also written a powerful letter addressing the issue of “anti-semitism” and Palestinian human rights. CJPME recently sponsored Amira Hass’s tour of Canada.

I have also distributed a statement from Professor Noam Chomsky and a  letter from The Editor of Outlook published by the Jewish Outlook Society.

Below is a copied version of the Support letter from Norton Mezvinsky, Distinguished Connecticut State University Professor of History (Emeritus) and President, International Council for Middle East Studies, Washington, D.C. I have also received promises of letters from a number of other
Jewish individuals and Jewish organizations. More letters are need to make an overwhelmingly strong legal case that criticism of Israel or Zionism or defending Palestinian human rights is not anti-semitic.

I thank those individuals and organizations who have come forward on my behalf. As noted in my previous update I have now received the Defendant’s list of  witnesses. The list includes the defendant; Clayton C. Ruby, a well known. Civil Liberties lawyer and member of the Law Union of Ontario; Windsor. Lawyer Victoria Cross also a member of the Law Union and who is active with the NDP; and Winnipeg lawyer David Matas who is the senior legal counsel of B’nai Brith Canada. Victoria Cross and Law Union member also asked to be put on my personal Middle East information email list, no doubt to gather information for the case.

My witnesses include a leading Jewish academic, a prominent Jewish  activist and another prominent academic who has published a book critiquing the so called “new anti-semitism” who have agreed to testify on my behalf in the law suit and to support the premise that criticism of Israel or of Zionism is not anti-semitic. I have also approached a number of other individuals to give testimony.

Representative’s of one of the major Christian Churches in Canada has also contacted me requesting information on the case and expressing strong  concern that criticism of Israel not be deemed anti-semitic. Hopefully  they will put their concerns in writing. I have also been contacted by a leading Israeli human rights lawyer who wishes to assist in the law suit.

This case will be a precedent setting legal decision on the question “is criticism of Israel or Zionism anti-Semitic.” With David Matas, and B’nai Brith, weighing in on the case it is clear the Defense intend to argue  that mere criticizing Israel is anti-Semitic. In their Statement of Defense, in my opinion, they could not produce anything of substance that  indicated that I had written any articles or said anything even remotely anti-semitic.

The vast majority of my articles published on the Israel-Palestine issue has been quoting Jewish and Israeli authors in defense of Palestinian human rights. Quoting Jewish writers can hardly be considered anti-semitic. The rest of my published articles are on Immigration and refugee issues or other political matters.

If this allegation of anti-semitism is not refuted in a libel action it will stand against me in terms of my public and professional career. If  not with drawn by the Defendant or deemed libel and defamatory by the Court the charge of anti-semitism can be leveled at any person who criticizes Israel, or anyone who posts articles critical of Israel on a  list serve or who tries to publicly defend Palestinian human rights. The charge of anti-semitism, as you all know, is the big stick that  right-wing Zionists and uncritical supporters of Israel’s government’s policies use to suppress criticism of Israel and Zionism and attack those who defend Palestinian human rights.

Resources legal and financial are going to be very important in deciding  the outcome. I have received $720 in contributions to help off set the costs of the law suit and for bringing in expert witnesses to testify on the subject of anti-Antisemitism and Palestinian Human Rights. More money has been promised. Much more money will be needed to proceed with this law suit if it proceeds to court and to win the legal battle and to establish a legal precedent that criticism of Israel or Zionism is not anti-Semitic. It will cost a great deal to pay for experts and professional legal counsel. I am presently in discussions with a prominent legal counsel  about moving the case to a higher court.

I need more letters of support from Jewish academics and activists and also from others concerned that criticism of Israel policies or defending Palestinian human rights might be considered anti-Semitic. Please put the words “Support Letter” in the subject line.

If this legal battle is lost it will establish a most unfortunate legal precedent that will be used to silence criticism of Israel and criticism of Zionism in Canada and even beyond. It would be a disaster if defending. Palestinian human rights can be attacked as anti-Semitic. Both electronic and signed hard copies of the letters would be appreciated. Donation of cash and other in kind support are also needed. Any money raised will  allocated specifically to this case.

Check should be made out to Edward C. Corrigan and marked for legal case and send to the below address.If you would like more information on this subject especially to write a support letter please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please read Norton Mezvinsky, Distinguished Connecticut State University Professor of History
(Emeritus), and President, International Council for Middle East Studies, Washington, D.C support letter found below.

Edward C. Corrigan
Barrister& Solicitor
Certified Specialist in Citizenship and Immigration
and Immigration and Refugee Protection
383 Richmond Street, Suite 902
London, Ontario, Canada
N6A 3C4

(tel) 519-439-4015
(fax) 519-439-7657
Toll free 1-800-883-6217

web site www.edcorrigan.ca

On 8/31/2011 4:42 AM, norton mezvinsky wrote to:

Edward C. Corrigan
Barrister and Solicitor
383 Richmond Street
Suite 902
London, Ontario
Canada NGA3C4

I am writing in reference to Edward C. Corrigan’s libel and slander law suit.

To refer to Edward Corrigan as “one of Canada’s most notorious anti-Semites” clearly constitutes libel and slander. His criticism of  specific Israeli policies, especially those that are oppressive to
Palestinians, and his opposition to Zionism are not only correct and justifiable but are within the context of the most positive and prophetic Jewish traditions. Numerous Jews, some of whom who are religious and some of whom who are secular, as well as many non-Jews have expressed and do
express with abundant evidence the same criticisms of Israeli policies and Zionism as does Edward Corrigan. Many of the Jews who so criticize are Israeli Jews; they include leading Israeli academics and politicians.

Extreme Zionist apologists often attempt to silence anti-Zionist critics by using the charge of anti-Semitism. This charge unfortunately, if not refuted and vigorously opposed,can, as it sometimes has, unduly ruin a person’s reputation in the public arena. In order to defend and protect his reputation against this fallacious and unfair attack, Edward Corrigan has correctly initiated his law suit. He should prevail. If successful in  and with his law suit, Edward Corrigan will not only protect his own reputation, he will also reveal, at least to some extent, the unwarrantednand illegal activity of some people who have tried to utilize a false anti-Semitic campaign.

I also want to point out that articles, written by Edward Corrigan, and the other material he sends regularly to many individuals interested in the Middle East are informative and useful. Speaking for myself, I use  some of what he sends in my writing and other work. I am among many who
appreciate Edward Corrigan for his highly principled activity.

I repeat and emphasize: To call Edward Corrigan anti-Semitic is ridiculous, vicious and illegal.

Sincerely,

Norton Mezvinsky
Distinguished Connecticut State University Professor of History (Emeritus)
President, International Council for Middle East Studies, Washington, D.C.