Montreal, March 18, 2023 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is appalled by the decision of Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly to meet with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen this week. This was the first meeting between Minister Joly and Israel’s far-right government led by Benjamin Netanyahu, which has been in power since the end of 2022. CJPME identifies Cohen as a far-right extremist and annexationist, who has said that Palestinian citizens of Israel can “move to Gaza on a one-way ticket.” According to the readout of the meeting, Minister Joly expressed concerns about violence against Israelis but did not confront Israel on its escalation of violence and oppression against Palestinians. CJPME reiterates its call for Canada to send a strong message in support of human rights and international law by imposing a diplomatic boycott on Israel’s far-right regime.

This 14-page report demonstrates how the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism is used to silence critical political expression of Israel. Proponents of the IHRA definition of antisemitism claim that it does not silence free speech on Palestine. In practice, however, IHRA is used to target those who express their solidarity with Palestinians and risks being used daily against those who challenge Israel's treatment of Palestinians. Access the full report here.

The Guelph CSA bylaws commit the organization to building a student community "free from all forms of oppression."  Nevertheless, the CSA is poised to accredit a group called, "Guelph Students Supporting Israel."  This is highly problematic, as Amnesty International says that Israel practices apartheid against Palestinians.  Members of the Guelph Palestinian Students Association (GPSA) and their families have been directly impacted by Israel's apartheid system, and believe that if the CSA accredits a campus organization committed to "supporting Israel," it enables new forms of oppression on campus.

CJPME Factsheet No. 231, published August 2022: This factsheet looks at the history of the successful boycott campaign against Pillsbury products. It explains how Pillsbury had been operating in the illegal Israeli settlements, outlines the goals of the boycott campaign, and explains the company's decision to divest in 2022.