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Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he is “disappointed” that there will be no official ceremony at City Hall next Tuesday when the city raises Israel’s blue-and-white flag to mark Israeili Indendence Day.
Since 2007, the city, in conjunction with Global Affairs Canada, has regularly flown the flags of more than 190 nations with which Canada has diplomatic relations to mark their national days of celebration or independence. The flag raising is usually accompanied by a special ceremony and other activities.
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On Tuesday, however, the city said it cancelled any official ceremony after consulting with police and other “stakeholders” because of security fears related to the ongoing war in Gaza. Pro-Palestinian protesters have marched weekly in the capital while pro-Palestinian encampments have sprung up at uOttawa and other universities around the world.
The Israel–Hamas war began on Oct. 7 2023 Hamas launched a sustained assault on Israel from the Gaza Strip. As of April 24, 2024, more than 35,000 people (34,262 Palestinian and 1,410 Israeli have been reported as killed in the conflict, according to a Wikipedia timeline.
The decision to forego the usual flag ceremonies “is based on recent intelligence that suggests hosting a public ceremony poses a substantial risk to public safety.
“The City must prioritize the safety of its residents, visitors, and employees. Therefore, this year’s commemoration will occur without the customary ceremony. The decision reflects a commitment to safeguarding the welfare of all Ottawa residents, while upholding principles of inclusivity and respect for diplomatic relations,” the city memo said.
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“I’m very disappointed that the flag-raising ceremony to commemorate Israel’s Independence Day has been cancelled, for the first time ever, for safety and security reasons,” Sutcliffe said in a statement released Wednesday morning, adding that he’s spoken to Ottawa police and the the Jewish Federation of Ottawa regularly for the past several days.
“The Jewish community is a vital and important part of our city. Members of Ottawa’s Jewish community have faced a significant increase in anti-Semitism, threats, and hostility in the past seven months. While the Israeli flag will still fly at city hall on May 14, as it has every year since 2007, and as the city does for more than 190 countries with whom Canada has diplomatic relations, it will be another blow to the Jewish community that the customary ceremony will not take place because of escalating threats and hostility,” Sutcliffe said.
“Our shared priority must continue to be the safety of all Ottawa residents. Let’s come together to support our friends and neighbours in the Jewish community and stamp out hatred and racism in all its forms.”
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