A Canadian International Women’s Day event that drew attention for canceling its keynote speaker over her past Israeli military service has itself now been canceled.
“Circumstances beyond our control” led to the cancelation of the event in Peterborough, Ontario, that had been planned by INSPIRE, a women’s empowerment organization, the group told kawarthaNOW, a local online publication, this week.
The cancelation came just days after a Jewish Telegraphic Agency report that INSPIRE had rescinded its speaking invitation to Leah Goldstein, a Jewish motivational speaker and the first woman to win a grueling 3,000- mile bicycle race across the United States. It cited as the reason “a small but growing and extremely vocal group” that took issue with Goldstein’s IDF service more than 30 years ago.
This incident is one of a growing number of situations where athletes, musicians and other public figures have been affected by anti-Israel protests and sentiments regarding the Israel-Hamas war. And the story of what happened in Peterborough quickly spread, including to the Daily Mail tabloid, igniting criticism of INSPIRE from around the world.
Source - JTA/X - Image - Screenshot