We, the undersigned, being alumnus of Western Ontario and/or Western University affiliated colleges, respectfully request Western to release a statement affirming the value of Western University’s Jewish and Israeli students, alumni, and other stakeholders, and to unequivocally denounce and condemn the terror attacks perpetrated by Hamas.

Western's statements to date are unacceptable and lack moral clarity. As alumni of Western University it is our desire to advance a just and equitable society for all. That begins with moral clarity. 

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The below are select excerpts of a letter which was sent to Dr. Shepard, President & Vice-Chancellor of Western University on October 20, 2023. It was requested that a copy of the full letter be delivered to the Western University Board of Governors.  

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The recent terror attacks in Israel are without precedent. October 7th was the single deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust and the deadliest day in the history of the modern state of Israel. It is currently estimated that 1,400 people, overwhelmingly civilians, were murdered in the attacks, 200 are estimated to have been taken hostage by Hamas and are actively being held in Gaza as prisoners, and more than 4,600 other people have been injured.

No doubt you have read the terrible stories and seen the horrific images of the murderous acts and mass-kidnappings, which purposely targeted civilians – from toddlers to the elderly and infirm. Entire families were murdered as they  huddled in their homes. Hundreds of teenagers and young adults were gunned down by terrorists while attempting to flee a music festival. The level of brutality shocks the conscience and is an affront to any measure of basic human decency and civilized behaviour.  

The day after the attack, Western University released a statement to the Western community, referencing  the “violence in the Middle East” and expressing “thoughts” for “those impacted in the region and around the world.”  

Western’s statement reflects a complete lack of recognition for the actual events on that day. Words omitted include terrorism, murder, rape, hostages, and Hamas. Incredibly, the statement does not even mention Israel. Western’s statement is in fact so vague that it can be read as an expression of solidarity with Hamas depending on the perspective of the reader.

On October 10th, as the full scope of Hamas’ brutality was coming into focus, the University released a formal statement to Western students, regarding the “violent conflict in Israel and Gaza.” Not only did this statement once again fail to denounce the terroristic acts of Hamas but instead writes that “[w]e also know there will be differing views on what is unfolding.” This statement in effect affirms that the morality regarding murder, rape, and mass-kidnapping is a matter of perspective. There should be no “differing views” when debating the value of innocent  human lives. All lives are equally valuable.

Western University’s position regarding the terror attacks of October 7th is factually inaccurate and lacks moral clarity. It draws a false equivalence between those murdered, innocent Israeli and Jewish civilians, and the perpetrators, Hamas, a terrorist group. Hamas’ written charter makes clear that it is dedicated to a non-negotiable, never ending holy war against all Jews and the nation of Israel. Hamas’ barbaric attack on October 7th is entirely consistent with the stated purpose articulated in its charter. There is no moral equivalency here.

Western’s failure to denounce abject terrorism normalizes such violence in the public conscience and thus emboldens those who seek to do harm to Israelis and Jews. This is not a theoretical statement, as police across Canada are already  reporting a sharp rise in antisemitic hate crimes in the days following the attacks.

In many other matters of social justice, ranging from the topic of truth and reconciliation for Indigenous Peoples to anti-Asian hate crimes to social justice issues affecting the 2SLGBTQI+ community, the University loudly defends human rights and the desire of people everywhere for equitable treatment. Indeed, Western’s social media profile on X (f/k/a Twitter) is replete with thousands of posts registering solidarity with the marginalized and disenfranchised. And yet, there is near silence from Western when 1,400 Israelis are murdered, 4,600 are injured, and 200 are taken hostage in a savage sneak attack at dawn carried out by an estimated 2,000-armed terrorists besieging people in their homes and at a music concert. The double-standard and hypocrisy displayed by the University is not lost on your Jewish students and alumni. 

This moment requires strong moral authority from our civic leaders, from our public institutions, and from government. As a leading Canadian public research university, Western must exhibit thought leadership on this topic, as you do on so many other social justice causes. Your students are looking to you for moral clarity. 

I am asking Western to identify and denounce mass terrorism when and where it occurs. Language matters, ideas matter. 

Calling Hamas what they are, terrorists, should not be morally controversial. Indeed, Hamas has been a listed terrorist entity by the Canadian federal government since 2002. In the wake of the recent attack, the Prime Minister “unequivocally condemned Hamas’ terror attacks against Israel.”

Western routinely espouses leadership on a wide range of social and other human rights issues, but from where does Western derive its moral authority? If the University is to have credibility as a thought-leader on social justice topics, it behooves Western to denounce terrorism when it is plain for all to see. Western’s silence, or worse, obfuscation  surrounding the morality of terroristic acts, conveys moral weakness and confusion.  

Western’s Board of Governors statement on equity, diversity and inclusion reads as follows:

“At Western, we strive to create an equitable and inclusive community, rich with diversity, protecting the human rights of all individuals, and demonstrating mutual respect for the dignity and worth of every person…”

The worth of every person includes your Jewish stakeholders. Failing to condemn the terror attacks of October 7th devalues Western Jews who deserve the same treatment, respect, and protection the University bestows upon other peoples.  

I write to you today to respectfully request you to release a statement affirming the value of Western University’s Jewish and Israeli students, alumni, and other stakeholders, and to unequivocally denounce and condemn the terror  attacks perpetrated by Hamas.