Montreal, October 19, 2026 - Following a weekend of extraordinary Israeli settler violence against international journalists and diplomats in the occupied West Bank, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is calling on the Canadian government to impose comprehensive, area-based sanctions on Israeli settlements and the entities that sustain them. Today also represents the bidding deadline for the first Israeli settlement tender in the E1 area, a highly contentious project that would further entrench Israel’s settlement enterprise in the occupied West Bank. CJPME warns that time is running out in the face of intensifying violations by the Israeli state and extremist settlers. Over the weekend, Israeli settlers attacked Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine, as well as European diplomats and a French mayor in two separate incidents of recorded settler violence, as the annual Palestinian olive harvest got underway. 

Updated and Revised August 2026 This report warns that despite Canada’s recognition of Palestinian statehood, the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement (CIFTA) economically subsumes the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) and illegal Israeli settlements under trade with the State of Israel, running counter to international law and official Canadian foreign policy opposing settlements. Titled "Annexing Palestine Through Trade: The Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement and the Occupied Palestinian Territories," the report provides an updated analysis of Canada’s trade policy with Israel and Palestine in light of the international law context of the last three years. Click here to download the report as a PDF, or read the Executive Summary and Summary of Recommendations below.

The Government of Canada established the Advisory Council on Rights, Equality and Inclusion to promote social cohesion, “build bridges between communities,” and “combat all forms of racism and hate.” Contrary to that mandate, however, one Council Member has been expressing open contempt towards Canadians who oppose Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people. In September, Council Member and former Senator Marc Gold signed an open letter that provocatively said it was a “lie” to claim that Israel has committed genocide, even though a UN commission and human rights groups have concluded that it has. The signatories to the open letter advocated for treating the “genocide accusation” with “revulsion” and “contempt,” and pledged: “We will not allow this lie to stand.”  These actions erode the credibility of the Advisory Council. The problem is not that Gold holds a different view. What crosses the line, however, is his endorsement of a hostile and politicized statement that refers to the majority of Canadians and human rights advocates as liars and urges that they be treated with “contempt” for believing in good faith that Israel has committed genocide. This is unacceptable from someone who has been appointed to a public body to build bridges between communities. Unfortunately, when CJPME brought this issue to Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Marc Miller, his office expressed “full confidence” in Gold. You cannot build bridges with genocide denial, which promotes bad-faith hostility and contempt. Join us in calling on Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Marc Miller to censure Advisory Council member Marc Gold, and work to rebuild trust between the Council and the communities it is supposed to serve.

Click here to download FAQ in PDF format CJPME Factsheet 252, published September 17, 2026: This factsheet addresses frequently asked questions about Canada's announcement that it intends to introduce a ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements. It explores whether the proposed trade ban will make a meaningful difference, how it aligns with international law, how much trade Canada does with Israeli settlements, and whether it will harm Palestinians.