EDMONTON — A Jewish community group is speaking out after Edmonton City Councillor Michael Janz re-posted comments last week from a pro-Palestine account claiming that a newborn baby is "more likely to be killed by Israel than dying by any other way." "Edmonton City Councillor (Michael Janz) has once again used his public platform to amplify disinformation that demonizes Israel," reads an X post by Jewish Edmonton on Friday. "Content shared today echoes conspiracy theories and blood libels that have historically fueled antisemitism, discrimination and violence against Jews." .Janz is facing pressure after re-posting a post made by a trio of accounts, in which the above-mentioned claims about newborn babies are made, and they say that "Israel has murdered more babies in Gaza and Lebanon than have died in ANY OTHER WAY, whether natural or unnatural- all across the globe.""At a time when Canada faces an antisemitism crisis, elected officials must do better," the post by Jewish Edmonton reads."We call on Mayor Andrew Knack & Edmonton City Council to publicly reject this divisive rhetoric and reaffirm that all Edmontonians—including the Jewish community—deserve respect and safety."Knack told the Western Standard that councillors are allowed to address any issue, but must understand that their words carry weight. "I believe that it is crucial that everyone, especially elected officials, share information that is accurate and factually verified," wrote Knack in a statement to the Western Standard. .Janz added context behind the post on Wednesday. "Like many Edmontonians, I’ve been horrified by the genocide in Palestine and the numerous well-documented war crimes committed by the state of Israel," wrote Janz in a statement to the Western Standard. "Our compassion must not have boundaries or borders." "Last week, the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory shared a shocking new report about the serious physical and psychological harm by the Israeli security forces. Since the 7th of October 2023, this has resulted in the death of at least 20,179 and injury of 44,143 children."He called on "every person" to read the "horrific findings" and said he will continue to share such reports on his social media. "These are not statistics. These are humans," Janz wrote in his statement. "For many Edmontonians, these are family members and relatives. Every human being should be outraged by these horrors and call for justice and long overdue action by the global community against the perpetrators of these crimes.".Individuals online have reacted negatively towards the comments shared in the re-post, including former Canadian Alliance party leader Stockwell Day, who said that, "Even the Muslim nations leading the world in infant deaths don’t stoop to this type of imbecilic slur.""Let’s hope Edmonton city councillor Michael Janz has tracked down the mentally unhinged, hate-spewing antisemite who wrote this depraved piece of sewage under Michael’s name," wrote Day in an X post.
