McGill University says it's investigating after a Jewish student claims he was voted off the board of directors of the student council because of anti-semitism.
In his Facebook post after Monday's general assembly of the Students Society of McGill University, Noah Lew alleged he was not ratified as a board director because he is Jewish and because of his opposition to the Boycott, Divest and Sanctions Movement or BDS Movement, which promotes sanctions against Israel to press for Palestinian self-determination, the return of Arab lands, and equal citizenship for Palestinians and refugees’ right to return home.
The third year student said people applauded when he was voted out.
Lew said board members are usually voted back in as a bloc but this time pro-BDS group Democratize SSMU brought in a motion to divide the vote.
Lew alleges that Democratize SSMU has targetted him before for his views, something the group denies.
"I have no doubt from the information circulated about me and campaign run against me prior to this vote that this was about my Jewish identity, and nothing more. I was blocked from being able to participate in my student government because I am Jewish, because I have been affiliated with Jewish organizations, and because I believe in the right to Jewish self-determination," Lew wrote in his post.
His Facebook post has prompted over 6200 shares and other reactions.
In a statement, the group points out that two other students were also voted out. It says it was a vote based on their qualifications and their "inability to fulfil their duties."
"The Democratize SSMU movement did not encourage people to vote to remove Lew from the SSMU Board of Directors on the basis of his Jewish faith, but because of his role on a Board that has not fulfilled their constitutional responsibilities of transparency and accountability to the public," said the group.
In a statement, McGill principal Suzanne Fortier said they "take such matters very seriously." She said they will appoint a task force to look into the wider issue and create a hotline for reports of "incidents of intolerance based on religion or ethnic origin occurring on our campuses."