Canada university’s anti-Semitism adviser resigns after praising Lebanon pager explosions

The anti-Semitic adviser at Canada’s University of Ottawa has resigned after posting on X that deadly explosions this week across Lebanon were “brilliant”, Canadian media reported yesterday.

Pagers and walkie talkies apparently belonging to Hezbollah exploded across Lebanon over two days, injuring thousands of civilians and killing at least two children.

Taking to X on Tuesday after the first attacks, Artur Wilczynski wrote: “Today’s targeting of Hezbollah operatives was brilliant… It struck a major blow against a terror group that has fired thousands of rockets against civilians all while the useless UN mission in Lebanon stands by.”

Israel has not claimed responsibility for the pager explosions, but it is widely believed to be behind them. On Tuesday in parts of Lebanon and Syria, at least a dozen people were killed, including two children, by the exploding pagers. More devices exploded on Wednesday, killing at least 25 and wounding 600.

Read: Hunt for origins of Lebanon pager attack widens to Bulgaria, Norway

As the backlash erupted, Wilczynski at first defended his post but later apologised and resigned yesterday.

“I believe in accountability. My posts on the Hezbollah/Israel war caused harm & affected my ability to help combat antisemitism at U of Ottawa,” he posted on X. “My intent in sharing is irrelevant when it is clear many were hurt by them. I apologize. I resigned as Special Advisor on Antisemitism.”

I believe in accountability. My posts on the Hezbollah/Israel war caused harm & affected my ability to help combat antisemitism at U of Ottawa. My intent in sharing is irrelevant when it is clear many were hurt by them. I apologize. I resigned as Special Advisor on Antisemitism.

— Artur Wilczynski (@Arturmaks) September 19, 2024

The organisation Independent Jewish Voices, which condemned the attacks, said Wilczynski did the right thing.

“Mr. Wilczynski’s resignation is the first step in a larger move towards accountability on the part of public officials and lobbyists and confirmation that the Canadian public and Jewish Canadians will never accept the notion that somehow the recourse to terror is worthy of praise,” the organisation said in a statement on its website.