*Palestinian Roots* by artist Ahmad Al Abid. The painting is percieved by many Jewish students at York, and the wider Jewish community as being anti-semitic. Others say it’s not and it is a question of freedom of expression.

*Palestinian Roots* by artist Ahmad Al Abid. The painting is percieved by many Jewish students at York, and the wider Jewish community as being anti-semitic. Others say it’s not and it is a question of freedom of expression. *My inspiration for this piece is the ongoing issue in Palestine where illegal settlement expansions have become common. These expansions come at the expense of uprooting century old olive trees, trees intertwined with the roots of the Palestinian people.
Photo Credit: York U Student Centre

Anger escalates over a painting at Canadian University

A Canadian media-mogul has pulled his financial support from one of Canada’s biggest universities.  It’s all about a paiinting

Paul Bronfman, chairman of Pinewood Studios Toronto, and William White International (supplier of film production equipment) has long been a major figure in TV and film production in Canada. He is also a director of the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre for Holocaust Studies (FSWC).

Paul Bronfman, influential media leader, has withdraw his financial and other help from York University over the painting *Palestinian roots*
Paul Bronfman, influential media leader, has withdraw his financial and other help from York University over the painting *Palestinian roots* © Comweb

He has also long been a financial supporter of Toronto’s York University, and supplied valuable and much needed equipment to film and arts students  through his company, along with invitations to TV and film training seminars.  That has all changed since last Friday..

He has expressed anger and outrage since learning about about a large painting he believes is pro-Palestinian which hangs in the university’s student centre.

The painting depicts a young man holding some rocks, presumably to throw, as an (Israeli) armoured bulldozer prepares to knock down an olive tree with a (presumably Israeli) building in the background built on agricultural land.  The man wears a Palestinian kaffiyeh scarf which also depicts a map of Israel and the Palestinian flag. The words “justice” and “peace” appear in several languages along the bottom of the acrylic painting which won a student art contest. Entitled “Palestinian Roots” the painting has been hanging in the student centre for three years.

Artist   Ahmad Al Abid (grad,2013)  Description: This Piece of art depicts the relationship between the defenseless, the antagonist and the “other”. Each of these characters serves an important role in this painting.The tree is the defenseless; representing what seems as its indisputable fate; an inevitable destruction. The bulldozer with its indisputable intent of uprooting the tree. And finally the young man with both an ambiguous fate and disputable intent. It is the third party watching on that is left to decide whether to defend against the tree knowing its danger, or you may stand aside as you watch the tree being uprooted.

It is in question which option is best for him. Watching on as he is fluttered with conflicting emotions, implications and potential consequences of action. With each of these factors pulling him towards a different route of discourse, we find him calculating his next move.

Mr. Bronfman contacted the university asking them to remove the painting.  Quoted in the Globe and Mail newspaper he said, ““They gave me a bunch of political rhetoric … a bunch of political nonsense.”

York officials say the student union is a separate entity and they have no authority over it or what it displays in the building. Quoted in Haaretz, a York statement said, Freedom of expression is one of York’s guiding principles”.

In addition, Joanne Rider, chief spokesperson for York wrote in an email to the Toronto Star newspaper that, ““Members of the York community have the right to express their views and to test and challenge ideas, provided they do so within the law and in a peaceful and non-threatening manner.”

Gayle McFadden, is a vice-president of the York University Federation of Students and chair of the Student Centre

She is quoted in the Globe saying, ““This artwork is not hateful and is the artist’s depiction of the resistance to the occupation of Palestinian land. This painting is not anti-Semitic, as it is merely critical of the state of Israel and its continued occupation of Palestine”.

In response Bronfman told the  Canadian Jewish News, “As a Canadian, never mind as a Jew, the fact the administration would allow this piece of garbage to be displayed in a student lounge… This is something concrete I could point to and say, ‘Take that thing down or you’ll lose our support,’

In fact, he has withdrawn all financial and technical support for the university, but adds that support would resume if the painting is removed.

Meanwhile, some Jewish students at York say the atmosphere at York is becoming increasingly anti-semitic to the point where some are afraid to display items of the faith such as Star of David necklaces or kippas

Additional information-sources

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