Montreal, January 14, 2013  —  Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) applauds the decision of 57 countries to ask the UN Security Council to refer the Syrian situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for investigation. The joint initiative asks the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the ICC for investigation of numerous alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, “without exceptions and irrespective of the alleged perpetrators.” The group of countries making the request is diverse: Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Denmark, Norway, the United Kingdom, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Japan, Botswana, Libya and Tunisia, among others. Continue reading

Montreal, November 29, 2012  — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East is delighted that the UN General Assembly has granted Palestine “observer state” status at the UN. The vote represents a significant step forward for the international recognition and self-determination of the Palestinian people.  While the vote does not confer full member-state status for Palestine, it will give the Palestinians access to several new legal and diplomatic tools by which they can further their aspirations for full statehood.   Continue reading