Montreal, October 1, 2024 — With a regional war unfolding in the Middle East, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) decries the Trudeau government’s failed approach to Israeli belligerency over the past year.  CJPME believes that there’s a clear line between Israel’s horrific collective punishment against Palestinians following last year’s Oct. 7 attack by Hamas – considered a genocide by many – and the outbreak of regional war today.  Just hours ago, Iran launched a massive missile attack on Israel, citing Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders.  Israel’s subsequent vow of widespread retaliation will only plunge the region into greater misery and despair. 

Israel’s devastating war on Gaza and the routine violence faced by Palestinians under military occupation have produced a catastrophic human toll, leading the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to order Israel to change its actions to prevent the “real and imminent risk” of genocide. The UN Human Rights Council and independent UN experts have called on all states to cease the sale and transfer of weapons to Israel immediately, or else risk complicity in war crimes or acts of genocide. Although Parliament voted in March 2024 in support of ending arms transfers to Israel, Canada’s actions to date have been limited and insufficient, allowing weapons to continue to flow to Israel. Canada cannot continue to export arms to Israel and maintain a close working relationship with the Israeli military so long as it is involved in egregious violations of international humanitarian law. Canada must use its diplomatic and economic leverage vis-a-vis Israel’s defense and security establishment to bring an immediate end to the violence.  

Over a thousand Palestinians with connections to Canada are stranded in Egypt, while thousands more may still be stuck in Gaza. All of them face devastating bureaucratic obstacles from Canada’s Gaza Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) program. In early 2024, Canada had pledged to help Palestinians escape Israeli violence and reunite with their families in Canada. Instead, our TRV program has utterly failed and has revealed deep flaws and anti-Palestinian racism in Canada’s visa system. This failure continues to prolong the suffering of Palestinian families and tarnishes Canada’s global reputation as a safe haven.

Canada’s Sanctions on Illegal Settlers in the OPT Factsheet Series No. 248, created: August 2024, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East   View factsheet in PDF format CJPME Factsheet 248, published August 2024: This factsheet explores Canada’s recent sanctions on Israeli settlers and groups involved in extremist violence and land theft. The factsheet also addresses who the Israeli settlers and groups are and what recommendations the Canadian government can take regarding illegal settlers and settlements.