By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban
Iris Weinstein Haggai, the daughter of Canadian Judi Weinstein Haggai and Gadi Haggai who were killed by the terrorist group Hamas October 7 and whose bodies are still being held in Gaza, spoke to the Montreal community last week.
Haggai spoke on several occasions, including at the Sylvan Adams YM-YWHA following the weekly Bring Them Home Montreal walk for hostages. She was joined at the Y by former Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, known for being a strong supporter of the Jewish community and Israel, and Iranian human rights activist Tara Dachek.
Haggai has called on Canada to do everything it can to ensure the return of her mother’s body. Her parents’ fate was not known for 83 days.
“As a Canadian, as Judi Weinstein’s daughter, the Canada I know would not stand by as such horrors are inflicted on the innocent. This country, the one my mother raised me to love, would rally and demand that every hostage be freed, that those who commit atrocities against our own are held accountable. This is about who we are as a nation, about standing for justice, human rights and for those who cannot stand for themselves.”
Haggai also asked, “where is the outrage for innocent people held in inhumane conditions, in underground torture tunnels funded by Canadian tax dollars?
“Rape, killing, kidnapping and torturing innocent civilians is not resistance! Holding bodies of deceased hostages is a violation of every humanitarian law and a pure desecration of religious values!”
Coderre, who proclaimed “am Yisrael chai!,” pointed out that he fulfilled a 2017 promise to go on the March of the Living, which includes a tour of the Auschwitz concentration camp.
“I said ‘never again’. I decided to walk with you today because I believe we need to bring them home! What I’m scared of right now is the rise of fascism and antisemitism. It’s not just about the hostages, it’s about making sure that we have our country again. I don’t like to see what I’m seeing right now!”
Dachek, of the Iranian Justice Collective, said “we gather, not just as individuals, but as a united front showing the world that the Iranian and Jewish communities share a strong bond, a commitment to fighting against terrorism and advocating for the freedom of hostages.
“I want to deliver a message to you – the horrors and brutality we witnessed on Oct. 7 was unforgettable and unforgivable. The victims are not just statistics, they are lives lost and families shattered! The hostages are not just names we call out! Each one of them, young or old, is a person who is suffering at this very moment! Each one has a family that has been in agony for over a year! We Iranians understand your pain, because the people who financed and supported Oct. 7 are the same people who have oppressed us for decades!” n