Dear Mayor Andy Fillmor,
This open letter, endorsed by over 30 organizations and advocacy groups from across the country, is being sent to express our deep concern and collective call to action regarding the Davis Cup match between Canada and Israel scheduled to be played at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax between September 12-13th.
This sporting event serves as a clear attempt to sportswash Israel’s genocide in Gaza by using an international competition to repair its deteriorating global image and distract from the ongoing violations of international law. Around 35,000 letters were sent from Canadians and residents of Halifax expressing their objection to this sporting event. The Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council (CMPAC) along with organizations from all over the country are demanding the City of Halifax to cancel this event.
This event occurs against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people, a reality affirmed through proceedings before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). It also occurs in the shadow of devastating loss where over 800 Palestinian athletes have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, along with the destruction of sports facilities, and stadiums.
By facilitating this match, the City of Halifax, Tennis Canada, the Scotiabank Centre and affiliated institutions are effectively lending their name, venues and reputation to a state currently under investigation for genocide. Permitting this sporting event to proceed enables the sportwashing and overlooks the killing of an entire generation of athletes in Gaza at the hands of the country and military represented by the Israeli team.
This match must be cancelled. Proceeding with this event constitutes complicity. Responsibility lies with Tennis Canada, the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the Scotiabank Centre, the Province of Nova Scotia, the City of Halifax and any other venues, hotels, airlines or organizations that facilitate this tennis match.
As a party to the Genocide Convention and the ICJ, Canada has a clear legal obligation not to support, aid, or normalize a state actively engaged in a Genocide . International sporting events fall squarely within that category. UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese has likewise urged for an end to all economic and cultural relations that sustain Israel’s genocidal regime, urging institutions like Tennis Canada to cooperate until occupation, apartheid, and systemic violence end. Legal avenues are being explored to challenge entities involved in this event
The RCMP initiated a structural investigation in early 2024 to collect and assess information related to potential war crimes. The Israeli athletes who are scheduled to compete in Halifax are not bystanders of Israel’s apartheid. It is widely known that most members of the Israeli Davis Cup team have served in the Israeli Defense Forces. Israel’s top ranked player, Daniel Cukierman, has expressed pride in serving the IDF, saying that “being Israeli means serving in the Army and we take pride in that”. His father, Edouard Cukierman, served as an IDF spokesperson and now funds military-aligned tech startups. Facilitating this match signals a willingness to overlook international law for the sake of a state in violation of international law.
Canada cannot allow its institutions to be complicit in sanitizing or normalizing Israel’s war crimes through the veneer of athletic competition. CMPAC and signatories demand the City of Halifax to listen to Canadians, respect international law and cancel the event.
Sincerely,
Signatories:
Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council (CMPAC)
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME)
Hikma Public Affairs Council
Justice For All Canada
Islamic Society of North America
The Canadian Palestinian Social Association (CPSA)
Palestinian Canadian Congress
Atlantic Canada Palestinian Society – Halifax
Association Culturelle Islamique de l’Estrie
Ibrahim Jame Mosque
Just Peace Advocates/Mouvement Pour Une Paix Juste
Jerrahi Sufi Order of Canada
The Canadian BDS Coalition and International BDS Allies
Canadians in Support of Refugees in Dire Need
Châteauguay Mosque
Saskatoon Chapter of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East
Palestinian and Jewish Unity / Palestiniens et Juifs unis (PAJU)
Sarnia Muslim Association
Al Huda Institute Canada
Ummah Society
Arab Canadian Vote
BCMSA
Tawheed Community Centre
Islamic Centre of Southwest Ontario
As salam
Pakistan Canada Association – Al Masjid Al Jamia Vancouver
Islamic Centre of Markham
Academics and Staff for Palestine-Concordia University
IslamicFamily
Palestinian and Jewish Unity (PAJU)
Canadian Muslim Healthcare Network
Independent Jewish Voices – Winnipeg
AJYAL
Downtown Muslim Professional Network
