The Sask NDP, from the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, has been unclear if they support Israel with repeated use of the slogan “from the river to the sea” and inviting a pro-Palestine protest to the Legislature, called a “riot” by the government.Sask NDP MLA Meara Conway got booted from the Legislature for attacking the Sask government and her continual use of the slogan “from the river to the sea” without acknowledging it is antisemitic.“Government house leader accused you of being antisemitic today. I have to ask you, are you antisemitic?” the media asked Conway.“I am not,” replied Conway.However, when the Western Standard asked Conway if the slogan “from the river to the sea” was antisemitic, her answer was unclear. Conway said the NDP received “hundreds of letters from people who disagree” that it is an “antisemitic slogan.” But did not say if she felt it was an antisemitic slogan.A confidential source inside the NDP said many “heated” conversations were happening around the caucus table. When NDP leader Carla Beck rose in the Legislature to issue a statement on the war after Premier Scott Moe gave his statement supporting Israel, no NDP MLA in the Legislature clapped their hands or banged on their desk, which normally happens when they support what is being said.NDP MLA Jennifer Bowes did not apologize for inviting pro-Palestine protesters who shut down the Legislature or accusing Israel of “genocide.”Bowes issued a half-apology for liking an Instagram post with the slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Bowes issued a statement saying "I have learned that for some in the Jewish community, they experience this slogan as deeply offensive and antisemitic. I have also heard from those who genuinely use the slogan as a call for the full rights and equality of all people, including Palestinians.”Bowes has stayed out of the public eye over the past few weeks, only showing up at the Legislature a few times and not taking her seat during Question Period.Conway has become the main NDP spokesperson defending using the antisemitic slogan.“What are you trying to accomplish in your comments in committee related to 'from the river to the sea?' Because your leader has defined that as something that is inappropriate to draw analogies to. I can't see how it was kind of politically helpful or helpful at all in terms of attention." "So I'd like to know from you what you were trying to trying to accomplish yesterday [Wednesday] when you basically decided to go there,” the media asked Conway.“I didn't go there. Jeremy Harrison went there. He opened the committee with comments from a letter. He referred to the slogan again and again. You know, I think that our leader and Jennifer's statement on this slogan speak for itself. It's a fraught slogan. It's a divisive slogan and for that reason alone, I think we should be, you know, avoid it,” replied Conway.“And this government house leader Jeremy Harrison keeps wanting to come back to this slogan. I think because it is divisive. What I did in committee is I just reiterated the statement of Jennifer [Bowes] and our leader's comments." "He read into the record a letter from a human rights organization. I also read an excerpt from a letter from a Jewish person from Saskatchewan who's also involved in a different human rights organization simply to show that this statement is fraught. It doesn't mean the same thing to everyone.”
