Updated September 18, 2024
Background
In the aftermath of Israel’s military response to the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, a wave of pro-Palestinian protests and demonstrations swept across the globe. Canada, with its sizable Middle Eastern diaspora, was no exception. A notable feature of this mobilization was the emergence of pro-Palestinian encampments on university campuses in several major cities, including Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. These encampments, often established in high-traffic public spaces, served as hubs for community organizing, solidarity-building, and advocacy for Palestinian rights. They also became focal points for tensions between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli groups. As students return to campus and demonstrations recommence, Zionist vigilante groups have begun organizing counterprotests and “patrols” on university campuses and at Palestine protests.
At the time of writing, media coverage of these Zionist patrols has been relatively limited in quantity and scope. Journalists have not discussed the more controversial elements and generally provided sympathetic descriptions of the groups, even inappropriately describing them reductively as “safety” and “security” patrols. This essay is intended to help journalists understand the origins, beliefs, and tactics of these emerging groups, especially in the early phase of these developments. It will also provide an overview of the media coverage, which has fallen short of providing Canadian readers with a comprehensive analysis.
Zionist vigilante and security groups active in Canada
The Jewish Defense League and Israel Now
The Jewish Defense League was founded in 1968 by American-born Rabbi Meir Kahane. Meir Kahane, the founder of Israel’s Kach party, was an ultra-nationalist politician who served one term in Israel’s Knesset. Kahane was well-known for his anti-Black and anti-Arab sentiments. He was a Jewish supremacist, advocated for violence, believed in the segregation of Jews and non-Jews, and supported the enslavement or total expulsion of indigenous Palestinians from Palestine.[i] The Kach party was barred from multiple Israeli elections, and its off-shoot party, Kahane Chai, formed after Meir Kahane’s 1990 assassination, was barred from running in Israel in 1992. Both parties were ultimately banned from Israel in 1994. Kach and Kahane Chai are designated as terrorist organizations by Israel, Canada, Japan, and the United States.
The Jewish Defense League was responsible for numerous terror attacks and plots spanning from the 1970s to 2001, predominately targeting Arabs and Palestinians. Among its most notable attacks was the 1994 Hebron Massacre, in which a JDL member, Baruch Goldstein, killed 29 Palestinian worshippers in the Ibrahimi Mosque. The JDL would justify the attack, calling it a “preventative measure.”[ii] The group was classified as a right-wing terrorist organization by the FBI in 2001.[iii] The JDL is designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.[iv]
The Canadian JDL was co-founded by Meir Weinstein, who was its leader from 1979-2021. Meir Weinstein calls himself a “loyal disciple” of Meir Kahane and regularly discusses his admiration for Kahane in his livestreams.[v] As recently as September 11, 2024, Weinstein shared a photograph of Kahane on X, writing, “Rabbi Meir Kahane was correct. Unfortunately, the majority of the ‘Palestinians’ want Israel destroyed” (Figure 1).
Figure 1 Image from Meir Weinstein's X profile
The JDL in Canada has its own history of initiating violent attacks against pro-Palestine demonstrators. This includes the beating of protestors at an AIPAC event in Washington in 2017, for which Canadian JDL members were charged with assault as a suspected hate crime. In 2020, Meir Weinstein was banned from Toronto’s York University after being involved in violence against pro-Palestine protesters.[i] The Institute for Strategic Dialogue’s report about the Canadian JDL found evidence of “Direct and indirect discussions of the use of violence” by members associated with the Canadian JDL and Israel Now.[ii]
In 2021, Weinstein left the Canadian JDL for reasons related to the pandemic[iii] and to start a new organization, Israel Now. Weinstein said that his departure was not ideological; instead, he needed to “adapt to new realities.” The Israel-based newspaper Haaretz called Israel Now a “rebranded Canadian JDL.”[iv]
As of September 2024, Israel Now’s website features a photograph of Zionist figures, including Meir Kahane (Figure 2).
Figure 2 Screenshot from IsraelNow.org that features convicted terrorist Meir Kahane, the ideological inspiration for Israel Now
On September 8, 2024, Weinstein shared a video of Israel Now and JDL counter-protests at the University of Toronto waving Israeli and Kach flags and saying, “Make Gaza a parking lot” (Figure 3).
Figure 3 Screenshot from a video on X showing a protester holding a Kach flag
It remains unclear if the resurgent presence of Kahanist symbols and flags are all related to Israel Now, or if the Canadian JDL is re-emerging separately.
On September 17 and 18, 2024, shortly after Israel's pager attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon that killed and injured militants as well as civilians, including children, Meir Weinstein made multiple posts on X calling for violence against Palestine protesters in Toronto at upcoming rallies (Figures 4 and 5).
Figure 4 Post from Meir Weinstein
Figure 5 Post from Meir Weinstein
Magen Herut
Magen Herut is a volunteer-based Zionist vigilante group. Magen Herut is associated with Herut Canada, an organization associated with the Likud Party in Israel that advocates for territorial maximalism, including settling all of “Judea and Samaria” (the terms used by the Israeli right-wing to describe the occupied West Bank) and even extending to Jordan. Herut Canada is part of a right-wing nationalist movement committed to Ze’ev Jabotinsky’s ideology, known as Revisionist Zionism.
Magen Herut fundraises through multiple channels, including Magshimey Herut North America. Magshimey Herut advocates a similar ideology to Herut Canada, based primarily around the work of Jabotinsky. They note their support for Jabotinsky’s desire for “the establishment of a Jewish state on both sides of the Jordan River.” Again, these represent extremist, far-right ideologies.
Meir Weinstein has said that Israel Now and Magen Herut coordinate their efforts, but one of the leaders of Magen Herut, Aaron Hadida, has denied the allegation.[i] While most media have portrayed Magen Herut as a more moderate force, they, too, are founded on ideologies that promote violence against Arabs and Palestinians.
Herut (or “Freedom”) was an Israeli political party founded in 1948. Herut Canada’s Executive Director, Karma Feinstein, says in her bio that she has been “Long committed to the ideology of Ze'ev Jabotinsky.” While Herut Canada has primarily focused on advocacy and politics, the ideology it promotes is the same one that guided the Irgun or the National Military Organization. This Jewish paramilitary group operated in the British-controlled Mandatory Palestine from 1931 to 1948. Irgun was founded on the principles of Revisionist Zionism and was the predecessor to the founding of the Herut Party in Israel. Herut would later become today’s Likud party. Menachem Begin was the leader of the Irgun militia before founding Herut and, eventually, the Likud party.
The Irgun was formed as a more militant alternative to the Haganah. This Jewish paramilitary group cooperated with British authorities in its efforts to expel Palestinians and colonize the land. Irgun was based on a philosophy of armed struggle, territorial maximalism, and opposition to British rule over Palestine. The Irgun carried out multiple terror attacks, including the 1948 Deir Yassin Massacre with the Stern Gang Zionist militia, which killed over 100 Palestinian civilians.[ii] This attack was part of what Palestinians today refer to as the Nakba, meaning catastrophe in English.
The Irgun militia was also responsible for the King David Hotel Bombing in 1946, which killed 91 people at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, including British officials, Palestinians, and Jews.
Figure 6 Screenshot from Herut Canada website
The leader of Magen Herut, Aaron Hadida, is a security expert and teaches “Jewish self-defense” (which includes promoting that Jews learn to use firearms), according to his bio. Hadida is also known for denying that Islamophobia is a problem in Canada. On September 13, 2024, Hadida made a post on Facebook denying that Islamophobia exists in Canadian schools and that “there isn’t a single incident that anyone can point to of Islamophobia.”
Figure 7 Screenshot from Aaron Hadida's Facebook page
On the contrary, a Canadian government committee found that Islamophobia is a persistent problem requiring urgent action, and many experts have found it is rampant in schools.[i]
J Force
J Force is a private security firm that partners with Magen Herut. While they offer various services to clients, they advertise protest security with an image that includes Israel’s flag. Their website’s blog lists the 3 top security threats Canadians face. The third leading threat in Canada they list is antisemitism. It is unclear why a private security firm is attempting to do the job of law enforcement of campus security. Their own suggestions do not include deploying volunteers dressed in tactical gear to intimidate Palestine solidarity protesters, and yet that is what they seem to have done on September 6, 2024, at the University of Toronto.
UJA’s Jewish Security Network
Unlike the other groups, the Jewish Security Network is not a vigilante group. On September 5, 2024, the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto announced its launch of an independent organization called the Jewish Security Network (JSN). [ii] The new Network is run by Jevon Greenblatt, who has 30 years of community security experience, most recently in South Africa. The JSN aims to centralize Jewish community security through a professionalized network of coordination and community training.
On September 12, 2024, JSN hosted a webinar to advertise its work. During the webinar, leaders said they do not advocate arming private security or volunteers.
Examples of problematic coverage
Global News
On September 12, 2024, a Global News segment titled “Students from both Muslim and Jewish communities say they feel unsafe at University of Toronto” mentions the JDL in passing but omits reference to their presence at recent protests, despite the report focusing on the press conference of the Muslim Students Association, whose concerns were explicitly related to the JDL, Israel Now, and Meir Weinstein. Instead, the report focuses on Magen Herut without describing its right-wing, anti-Palestinian ideological foundation as Revisionist Zionism or giving its viewers a sense of what that ideology entails.
Canadian Jewish News, CityNews Toronto, Hamilton Spectator, and Niagara Falls Review
On September 6, 2024, The Canadian Jewish News (CJN) published an article by Mitchell Consky, a journalist supported by Canada’s Local Journalism Initiative grant, titled “Safety patrol teams show up at University of Toronto to protect Jewish students as the school year begins.” CityNews Toronto, Hamilton Spectator, and Niagara Falls Review also published the article. After criticism of the article on social media, the article was inexplicably unpublished by CityNews Toronto without explanation. The article portrayed Magen Herut and J Force as “Jewish security patrols” without noting the ideology of Magen Herut or the presence of the JDL. CJPME’s letter to the newspapers outlining the issues of the article can be read here.
International Coverage
The US-based Jewish Press and Israel’s Jerusalem Post also gave fawning coverage to Magen Herut and J Force while overlooking the JDL. Haaretz, however, published a critical article providing significant context about the rise of these groups in Toronto.
Recommendations for Canadian Media
CJPME is urging journalists to report on these groups critically, especially the Jewish Defense League and Magen Herut. These groups have their origins in extremist far-right organizations and political movements that promote violence against Arabs and Palestinians. The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) “Ethics Guidelines” says:
Diversity recognizes the essential dignity and human rights of individuals who experience the world in different ways through their ethnicity, culture, religion, gender identity, political views, socioeconomic status, geographic location or physicality. We understand that journalism that is fair, accurate, and in the public interest will incorporate diverse perspectives.
In order for journalists to produce fair and accurate journalism that meets expectations around diversity, it is essential to touch on the widely-held concerns about these groups in your reporting.
[i] “With anti-Muslim occurrences on the rise, schools in Canada urged to address Islamophobia,” CBC News, December 2, 2024, accessed September 15, 2024, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/education-islamophobia-muslim-schools-1.7041144.
[ii] “UJA Announces the Launch of the Jewish Security Network,” UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, September 5, 2024, accessed September 13, 2024, https://www.jewishtoronto.com/news-media/uja-announces-the-launch-of-the-jewish-security-network.
[i] “Jewish Far-right Extremists Linked to Outlawed Terror Group Show Up at pro-Palestinian Events in Toronto,” Etan Nechin, Haaretz, September 12, 2024, accessed September 12, 2024, https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2024-09-12/ty-article/.premium/jewish-far-right-extremists-show-up-at-pro-palestinian-events-in-toronto/00000191-e69b-d383-a5d3-f69be55c0000.
[ii] “The Deir Yassin massacre: Why it still maters 75 years later,” Al Jazeera, April 9, 2023, accessed September 12, 2024, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/9/the-deir-yassin-massacre-why-it-still-matters-75-years-later.
[i] “Jewish Far-right Extremists Linked to Outlawed Terror Group Show Up at pro-Palestinian Events in Toronto,” Etan Nechin, Haaretz, September 12, 2024, accessed September 12, 2024, https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2024-09-12/ty-article/.premium/jewish-far-right-extremists-show-up-at-pro-palestinian-events-in-toronto/00000191-e69b-d383-a5d3-f69be55c0000.
[ii] “Israel-Hamas conflict animates the reincarnated Canadian Jewish Defense League,” Institute for Strategic Dialogue, June 20, 2024, accessed September 12, 2024, https://www.isdglobal.org/digital_dispatches/israel-hamas-conflict-animates-the-reincarnated-canadian-jewish-defense-league-october-7-2024/.
[iii] “The long overdue death of the Jewish Defense League,” Stephen Ellis, Canadian Dimension, August 21, 2021, accessed September 12, 2024, https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/the-long-overdue-death-of-the-jewish-defence-league.
[iv] “Jewish Far-right Extremists Linked to Outlawed Terror Group Show Up at pro-Palestinian Events in Toronto,” Etan Nechin, Haaretz, September 12, 2024, accessed September 12, 2024, https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2024-09-12/ty-article/.premium/jewish-far-right-extremists-show-up-at-pro-palestinian-events-in-toronto/00000191-e69b-d383-a5d3-f69be55c0000.
[i] “Fact Sheet: Meir Kahane & The Extremist Kahanist Movement,” Institute for Middle East Understanding, May 17, 2024, accessed September 16, 2024, https://imeu.org/article/fact-sheet-meir-kahane-the-extremist-kahanist-movement.
[ii] “Jewish Defense League,” Southern Poverty Law Center, accessed September 12, 2024, https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/jewish-defense-league.
[iii] "FBI — Terrorism 2000/2001". Fbi.gov. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
[iv] Ibid.
[v] “Israel-Hamas conflict animates the reincarnated Canadian Jewish Defense League,” Institute for Strategic Dialogue, June 20, 2024, accessed September 12, 2024, https://www.isdglobal.org/digital_dispatches/israel-hamas-conflict-animates-the-reincarnated-canadian-jewish-defense-league-october-7-2024/.