The controversy has drawn sharp condemnation, notably from Jewish human rights group B’nai Brith Canada, accusing Green of further stoking tensions amid a rise in antisemitism. Photo: X/@bnaibrithcanada
Hamilton Centre Member of Parliament (MP) Matthew Green was the latest local politician to attend a controversial anti-Israel rally.
The event was organized by Toronto4Palestine, a group that has chanted support for violent revolution and handed out candy in celebration of the October 7th Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.
In videos posted to social media, Green was even featured on stage at the event, which took place on November 12th in Toronto.
Green was seen standing behind Toronto4Palestine leader Moe Jaberi as Jaberi appeared to negotiate on behalf of Hamas and advocate for the terrorist group to continue holding Israeli hostages, which include women, children, and the elderly.
In the video, Jaberi yells, “If you want your hostages back, you will have your hostages back only if you return all our political prisoners, the 11,000 political prisoners.”
Israel holds at least 5,000 Palestinians in prison, with many held for violent crimes including terror-related offences.
The exact number of prisoners is unclear but is believed to have increased significantly in the aftermath of the October 7th terrorist attack..
Moments after Jaberi, Green took to the microphone, leading those gathered in a chant of “ceasefire now” before speaking for 18 minutes.
The Israeli Government has argued that a ceasefire will simply allow Hamas to regroup and launch further attacks on Israel.
Hamas has broken ceasefire agreements multiple times, including on October 7th.
Green also added vehemently, “The extreme example set by the authoritarian Doug Ford regime to censor my sister Sarah Jama along with her removal from her own caucus will empower and embolden others to become less tolerant.”
Jama famously posted a statement on October 10th which failed to condemn the terrorist acts, instead saying that “violence and retaliation” is “rooted in settler colonialism.”
She also later attended an anti-Israel rally in Toronto that was organized as a “celebration” of “heroic Palestinian resistance,” seemingly supporting the terrorist attack.
After a number of subsequent conflicts with her own party, Jama was removed from the Ontario NDP and now sits as an independent.
She is also censured by the Ontario Legislature until she deletes her October 10th statement from social media and makes a verbal apology. Jama has refused to do so.
Jewish human rights group B’nai Brith Canada strongly denounced Green’s comments and the manner in which he delivered them.
In a statement posted on social media, the group said, “We are in the midst of a disturbing rise in antisemitism. The Jewish community is on edge. The bare minimum expected from our elected officials is to refrain from inflaming tensions. Green is doing the opposite.”
Hamilton Centre Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Sarah Jama and Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario President Fred Hahn are also seen on the stage at the rally.
Hahn was also the subject of recent controversy after a post he made on October 8th, just one day after the Hamas attack, praising “the power of resistance around the globe,” in what also appeared to be a celebration of terrorism.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
