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Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East
Latest from the blog
Canada must condemn Israeli aggression against Iran: CJPME
Montreal, June 13, 2025 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is urging Prime Minister Mark Carney to forcefully condemn Israel’s unprovoked attack on Iran, and to do everything possible to de-escalate and prevent further bloodshed. CJPME argues that Israel’s attack on Iranian cities is an illegal act of aggression, not self-defense, and must be viewed in the context of its expansionist goals. CJPME further warns that Canada’s unwillingness to confront Israeli aggression gravely undermines the safety of everyone in the region.Continue readingCJPME welcomes Carney’s sanctions on Israeli ministers as a first step for accountability
Montreal, June 10, 2025 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) welcomes Canada’s targeted sanctions against far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, which were announced today in a joint statement with the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Norway. Foreign Minister Anand says that the sanctions are in response to “inciting violence against Palestinians” and rhetoric calling for Palestinians to be “driven from their homes.” The specific measures include asset freezes and bans on entering the country. CJPME urges Canada not to focus on a few extremist individuals, but to broaden its sanctions to include additional Israeli political and military leaders who are responsible for crimes against humanity and genocide.Continue readingLatest from the blog
Intended to Fail: Systemic Anti-Palestinian Racism and Canada’s Gaza Temporary Resident Visa Program
This report examines the ways that Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has failed to reunite Canadians with their Palestinian family members stuck in Gaza through the Temporary Resident Visa Program for Gazans (TRV), as Israel wages a plausible genocide and campaign of mass starvation. The TRV program is a special immigration measure launched by IRCC in early 2024 to save family members of Palestinian Canadians subject to a genocidal assault in Gaza. Access the full report here.Continue readingPosition Paper: Leveraging Canada's Arms Trade to End the Violence in Gaza
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.Continue readingLatest from the blog
Tell Carney to Sanction Israel
A few weeks ago, PM Carney finally threatened to sanction Israel. But actions matter more than words. We need to urgently call on Carney to steadfastly stand up to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, and his extreme-right cronies in Canada, by following through on his promise to act against Israel for its genocide in Gaza. Israel is intentionally starving children to eliminate a generation of Palestinians, so Israel can take the land. There is no time to waste as thousands of lives are on the line. Canada must not be seen to be issuing empty threats. In a world increasingly dominated by authoritarian and corrupt leaders like Trump and Netanyahu, Canada cannot be seen to be meek and inconsistent. We must urgently follow up our words with economic sanctions before it is too late for thousands of Palestinians starving in Gaza. Canada urgently needs an Arms Embargo now! Send an urgent message to Prime Minister Carney and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand praising them for this policy shift and telling them that now is not the time to back down in the face of Netanyahu. We need sanctions on Israel, now!Continue readingStop Repressive Protest Bans!
Across Canada, governments are trying to silence dissent. Cities like Vaughan have already passed repressive protest bans, and others—including Toronto—are considering following suit. These so-called "bubble" laws are designed to criminalize peaceful protest and shield human rights violators from accountability. These bans have already been used to silence Palestinians, anti-Zionist Jews, and their allies from protesting Israeli war criminals and the illegal sale of settlement properties. Instead of addressing human rights violations, municipalities are punishing those who speak out—setting a dangerous precedent for restricting political expression. We can’t allow politicians to cave to pressure from pro-Israel lobby groups working to suppress advocacy for Palestinian human rights. If left unchecked, these attacks on protest will pave the way for silencing any cause that challenges those in power. The right to protest is fundamental to democracy. If we don’t fight back now, governments will continue to erode our freedoms until dissent is no longer possible. Take action now—send an email to your mayor, city councillor, and other local elected officials, demanding they reject these unconstitutional and discriminatory protest bans.Continue readingLatest from the blog
ICC Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant
ICC Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant Factsheet Series No. 250, created: December 2024, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East View factsheet in PDF format CJPME Factsheet 250, published December 2024: This factsheet outlines the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Gallant. It outlines the alleged crimes, explores the questions of immunity and complementarity, and explains Canada's legal responsibilities to comply with the warrants.Continue readingBoycott campaign: Keter plastic
Boycott campaign: Keter plastic Factsheet Series No. 249, created: August 2024, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East View factsheet in PDF format CJPME Factsheet 249, published August 2024: This factsheet outlines the boycott campaign against the Israeli company Keter Plastic due to its production in Israel and its historical operations in the occupied West Bank. It details Keter's exploitation of Palestinian labour, complicity in settlement expansion, and continued violations of Palestinian human rights. Despite closing its factory in the occupied West Bank in 2014, Keter remains culpable for its prior breaches of international law and its extensive history of exploiting Palestinian land and resources for economic gain.Continue reading
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