from CBC News Monday, July 23, 2007

B'Nai Brith Canada has asked Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion to remove new
star candidate Jocelyn Coulon from an upcoming byelection in Montreal's
Outremont riding because of his past stance on Israel.

The Jewish organization says Coulon, a political scientist and former
journalist, has a "well-documented anti-Israel bias," including sympathy
for Hamas, that is "out of step with current Liberal policy," according to
a statement released by the group.

Coulon, who was officially declared the Liberal candidate in Outremont last
week, is vigorously defending his past articles, arguing he's a proponent
of healthy debate, not of anti-Israel sentiment.

He has been a frequent commentator on international affairs, penning
opinion pieces in various Montreal newspapers since he left journalism for
an academic position at the Université de Montréal.

Coulon's analysis of Hamas's rise to power in the Palestinian Territories
18 months ago is what concerns B'Nai Brith Canada, said Moise Moghrabi, a
lawyer for the organization.

In one opinion piece, dated February 22, 2006, Coulon writes that Hamas
isn't just a terrorist organization, but a social and political movement
that won the Palestinian elections because of its commitment to fight
corruption and help people - and the international community should not
isolate it...

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