OTTAWA — Efforts by anti-Israel activists to rewrite history in a small community on Lake Simcoe have been rebuffed by the town.
A letter sent last week to the Georgina town council called on the municipality to rename the community of Balfour Beach in Keswick to “Gaza Beach,” as the letter-writer was clearly uncomfortable with the associations to the British politician who supported the establishment of a Jewish homeland.
“I propose renaming Balfour Beach to better reflect the values of fairness, inclusivity and community that I believe our town stands for,” read the letter, recommending council rename the community “Gaza Beach” as well as “acknowledge and address” the supposed historical implications” that come with the name.
The letter implied an unnamed town councillor was receptive to the proposal.
Authored by former foreign secretary Arthur Balfour and issued by the British government in 1917, the Balfour Declaration proffered British support for a national Jewish homeland, and became a core tenet in the British Mandate for Palestine, eventually leading to the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.
Despite the request gaining traction in some anti-Israel circles, town council saw no merit in the suggestion.
“I want to make it clear to the residents of Georgina that I do not support this proposal, there is no intention to consider this proposal, and I know that my Council colleagues, including local Councillor (Dave) Neeson feel the same way,” read a statement posted online by Georgina Mayor Margaret Quirk.
A town spokesperson declined to comment further on the matter.
Canada has experienced an explosion of antisemitism since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas terror attacks, which saw hundreds of Palestinian terrorists unleash a campaign of murder, kidnapping and sexual assault on dozens of Israeli communities.
Anti-Israel activists have used the attacks to justify a regular series of demonstrations, rallies and intimidation marches — often in Toronto’s Jewish neighbourhoods and communities.
Michelle Stock, Ontario vice-president with the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), commended the town for their prompt response.
“Mayor Quirk and the council acted responsibly by rejecting an attempt to inject unnecessary controversy into the community,” she said. “Their clear stance ensures that local spaces remain places of unity rather than division.”
B’nai Brith Canada’s Austin Parcels said renaming Balfour Beach is yet another attempt by activists to import a foreign conflict into Canada, and is a direct attack on Jewish identity.
“(Arthur Balfour) supported the Jewish people’s right to live in their indigenous homeland,” he said. “Erasing his name is a deliberate effort to undermine that history and delegitimize Jewish self-determination.”
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