In the summer of 2006, during the Israel/Lebanon military conflict, the Conservatives used the crisis to fill their own coffers by sending out a fundraising appeal that mentioned the conflict. Now, the Conservatives are exploiting the Middle East conflict again to attract votes. They are sending out flyers into Jewish neighbourhoods (racial profiling?) claiming that they have the monopoly on defending what is important to the Jewish community. The Liberals? Not so much.

While innocent people on both sides in the Middle East are living in fear and frustration, the Conservatives are shamelessly exploiting the anxiety of Canadians who care. The Conservatives and Stephen Harper have done nothing to advance peace in the Middle East, yet they are trying from the comfort of their own homes in Canada to politically benefit from the suffering of children in the Middle East. A sad devolution of our political discourse in this country.

Last night, the Conservatives went a step further against me personally and accused me of Anti-Semitism without offering any evidence. I wish I could say that I was surprised. They singled out one of my blog entries where I argued that there’s no military solution to the Middle East conflict and how only civilians pay the price in the process. I argued that Canada must always call on both sides to end military hostilities and encourage them to resort to negotiation. I guess the mere mention of the UN Goldstone Report qualifies anyone for the Anti-Semitic charge.

This irresponsible behaviour of randomly calling people Anti-Semitic doesn’t help the cause of combating Anti-Semitism. It is even worse when the source is a political party that is in government. Anti-Semitism is real and our society deserves an honest effort to deal with it instead of exploiting it for political gain.

I could innumerate my work in society to combat all forms of racism including Anti-Semitism, but I would appear defensive. This type of vicious attack doesn’t hurt my feelings given the source. What bothers me greatly is the cheap attempt to profit from people’s pain and the push to silence any form of mature conversation about the situation in the Middle East.

This type of language is very harmful to Canada’s political and social maturity and to peace prospects in the Middle East. I could speculate on why the Conservatives think I am an easy target for such a smear, but this conversation would then become an ugly race to the bottom and inflame emotions.

As leaders, we have a responsibility to set an example on how to engage in difficult debates without hurling insults. This will only increase my resolve to continue to promote thoughtful policies and to continue to call for a peaceful and just resolution of the Middle East conflict among others.

I could say that the Conservatives should be ashamed of themselves, but I am convinced that they don’t utter any word before making their own political calculations. If in the process their behaviour caused damage to Canada’s interest, they couldn’t care less.

I am calling on all Canadians, particularly Jewish Canadians, to reject this form of cold and damaging form of politics. Not only does it fail to offer any substantive solutions, but it seeks to divide and inflame. I have faith in our ability as Canadians to distinguish between genuine dialogue and manipulative rhetoric.

Update: Rob Silver and Tim Powers have an exchange about this topic on the online pages of the Globe and Mail