Not calling Hamas terrorists in Nakba exhibit was ‘error,’ says Canada’s heritage minister

Lead

Canadian Heritage Minister Marc Miller has apologized for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights' failure to refer to Hamas as a terrorist organization in its new Nakba exhibition, calling the omission an "error." The apology comes amid mounting criticism from Jewish groups and follows the resignation of the museum's only Jewish board member.

Coverage Comparison

Reporting on the controversy has focused on two main developments: the minister's apology and the resignation of Mark Berlin from the museum's board. Both were covered by the Jerusalem Post, which provided extensive quotes from Miller and critics.

Key Claims

Minister's Apology

In an interview with The Canadian Press on Monday, Miller said the decision not to label Hamas as a terrorist organization was an "error." He acknowledged that the exhibit, titled "Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present," contains "some words that are regrettable."

"Not identifying Hamas as a terrorist organization is, I think, a failure. And not clearly stating that, for example, Hamas intended to kill Jews is, I think, an unfortunate error in curation and should be rectified," Miller said.

Miller also noted that the exhibit was "born in controversy," adding that "perhaps some of it could have been avoided." However, he stressed that it was not his role to "insert myself in the curation of any particular exhibit."

Exhibit Content

According to the Jerusalem Post, the plaque in question, titled "Under Occupation," reads: "Following the Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 people on October 7, 2023." The plaque does not use the words "Jews" to refer to the people killed, nor "terrorists" to refer to Hamas.

The exhibit is set to open on June 27, 2026. It is physically positioned near the Holocaust gallery, creating an emotional and interpretive bridge between the two, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.

Board Member Resignation

Mark Berlin, the only Jewish Board member of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, resigned on Monday, stating that he could not be associated with the museum if it proceeded with the planned exhibit. Berlin, a legal scholar and professor at McGill University's International Development Institute, had served on the Board of Trustees since 2018.

In his resignation letter, Berlin wrote: "Telling the story with a one-sided perspective chosen by the museum serves to deepen division and contributes to further hostility toward Jews in Canada." He argued that presenting the Palestinian displacement of 1948 "without its proper historical and political context offers a narrow, one-sided argument of history."

Berlin also questioned the omission of the simultaneous expulsion of 850,000 Jews from Arab states, calling it "politically motivated." He added: "The museum has a statutory and moral obligation to tell the full truth, not to sacrifice it at the altar of politics."

Criticisms from Jewish Groups

B'nai Brith Canada responded to Miller's comments, stating: "Minister Marc Miller cannot divorce his office from the Canadian Museum for Human Rights' Nakba exhibit." The organization argued that what the Federal Government allowed to transpire was "not a curatorial error" and suggested that the museum's leadership "failed to govern the museum in accordance with its mandate."

"Now, after the exhibit has opened to the public, the minister has acknowledged some of the deficiencies in the exhibit," B'nai Brith said. "The problem is that this is not simply about one missing reference to Hamas. It is about Canada's national human rights museum being enabled to present a biased account of a deeply contested historical and political subject."

Perspectives

The Canadian government, through Minister Marc Miller, has acknowledged the exhibit's shortcomings and called for corrections, while maintaining that the final curatorial decisions rest with the museum.

B'nai Brith Canada has expressed skepticism about the minister's apology, framing the issue as a broader failure of the museum's leadership and the federal government to uphold the museum's mandate.

Mark Berlin, in his resignation, has articulated concerns about the exhibit's historical balance and its potential impact on Jewish-Muslim relations in Canada.