Montreal, July 26, 2024 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) applauds the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) for indicating that it will revoke the charitable status of the Jewish National Fund of Canada (JNF Canada), reportedly “over support for military infrastructure in Israel.” For decades, Independent Jewish Voices Canada and other activists have brought attention to JNF Canada’s abuse of charitable funds to support projects linked to the Israeli military and settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories (OPT). This includes the notorious “Canada Park” which sits in the occupied West Bank on the ruins of Palestinian villages. CJPME urges Canada to continue to investigate and punish all connections between Canadian charities and illegal Israeli activity.
“This move by the CRA to crack down on JNF Canada’s activities in Israel and the OPT is long overdue. The colonization of Palestinian land is not a charitable purpose, and neither is the JNF’s support for a military engaged in illegal occupation and genocide,” said Michael Bueckert, Vice President of CJPME. CJPME notes that this is a major win for civil society including groups like Independent Jewish Voices, whose Stop JNF campaign has highlighted the organization’s abuses for years. “The CRA must not stop here, but should continue to investigate and punish any Canadian charities that help sustain Israel’s illegal presence in occupied Palestine,” added Bueckert.
The JNF is deeply tied to Israel’s history of colonization of Palestinian territory, established in 1901 to acquire land for the purpose of settling Jews while excluding all others. In 1972, JNF Canada funded the creation of Canada Park, a recreational park located in the occupied West Bank on top of the ruins of the depopulated Palestinian villages of Yalu, Imwas and Beit Nuba, which were expelled and destroyed in 1967. In 2019, the CBC reported that JNF Canada had repeatedly violated CRA guidelines by “fund[ing] infrastructure projects on Israeli army, air and naval bases,” as well as projects in Israeli settlements in the OPT, including contributing to the “construction of at least one hilltop settler outpost that was declared illegal by the State of Israel itself.”
CJPME calls on the CRA to resist any political pressure it may experience as a result of this highly ethical decision, based on its lengthy investigation. In 2021, the CRA officially warned JNF Canada about its support for illegal projects in the OPT, but ultimately decided not to penalize the organization for its violations. CJPME urges the CRA to follow through on its intentions and uphold its guidelines, rather than giving JNF Canada another pass. Further, CJPME continues to urge Canada to investigate and audit any other charities with activities or services connected to the Israeli military and Israel’s illegal settlement economy in the OPT.
About CJPME – Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is a non-profit and secular organization bringing together men and women of all backgrounds who labour to see justice and peace take root again in the Middle East. Its mission is to empower decision-makers to view all sides with fairness and to promote the equitable and sustainable development of the region.