Montreal, January 8, 2020  – Following the Trump administration’s escalation of hostilities with Iran, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) again calls Canada to pursue a more independent foreign policy in the Middle East.  The US carried out a strike last week which killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, and Iran retaliated early this morning with a ballistic missile strike on US bases in Iraq.  Canada has troops in Iraq, ostensibly as an ally in the fight against ISIS, but the US decision to leave Canada in the dark suggests that the US considers Canada irrelevant to its own foreign policy plans.  CJPME considers that the US’ failure to consult Canada is a clear sign that a new era of Canadian foreign policy in the Middle East needs to emerge.     Continue reading

Montreal, January 2, 2020  — Like many Canadians, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) was disappointed to hear NDP leader Jagmeet Singh disavow the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign targeting Israel in a podcast late in December.  During the podcast (https://t.co/aqaUY51GiA), Singh said that he personally doesn’t support BDS, and considers it counterproductive to Middle East peace.  He also said, “The official position of the [NDP] is that we do not endorse BDS.  The issue has been raised in convention and has been defeated in convention.”  In fact, polls show, and CJPME observes that many Canadians – especially NDP voters – strongly support democratic, participatory, non-violent strategies like BDS to pressure Israel to respect the human rights of Palestinians. Continue reading

Montreal, December 23, 2019  — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) calls for the Canadian government to endorse Friday’s announcement by the International Criminal Court (ICC) that it wishes to proceed with an investigation of war crimes in Palestine-Israel.  Whereas the US is not a member, and the Trump administration has announced that it considers itself and Israel to be deserving of immunity from prosecution by the ICC, Canada is a member, and must support the work of the ICC.  Moreover, should the ICC find Israeli or Palestinian leaders guilty of war crimes, Canada will need to be prepared to arrest these individuals should they travel to Canada.  Continue reading

Montreal, December 6, 2019 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is deeply disappointed to see Canada revert back to anti-Palestinian voting pattern at the UN. Two weeks ago, Canada surprised the world when it broke its nearly fifteen-year anti-Palestinian voting pattern and supported a vote for Palestinian self-determination. Following the vote, Canadian media was abuzz with speculation that Canada would reverse other UN votes on Israel-Palestine. This week however, Canada once again voted against a series of resolutions affirming Palestinian human rights, signalling to the world that it will continue to vote in lockstep with Israel and the United States at the UN. Continue reading

Montreal, November 29, 2019 — A coalition of Canadian civil society organizations is deeply dismayed that Global Affairs Canada claims it has found “no credible evidence” linking Canadian exports of military equipment to human rights violations committed by Saudi Arabia. Continue reading

Montreal, November 27, 2019  — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) and other groups and individuals across Canada are demanding that the federal government strengthen its support of international law and human rights at the UN. Each year at the UN General Assembly (UNGA), about 15 resolutions relating to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories are brought to vote. While Canada last week voted in support of Palestinian self-determination, it also voted against several other resolutions supporting Palestinian human rights and justice. Given the poor record of the Trudeau government, CJPME and others have launched campaigns to send the government a clear message that it cannot “cherry pick” violations of international law and human rights.   Continue reading

Montreal, November 20th, 2019 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) thanks the Liberal government for yesterday’s vote in support of Palestinian self-determination at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). CJPME notes that yesterday marks the first time in nearly fifteen years that Canada has cast a vote in favour of Palestinian self-determination, breaking its pattern of voting against Palestinian human rights at the UN. CJPME calls on the Canadian government to apply a more balanced, consistent approach to its votes at the UN on Palestine-Israel, in accordance with international law and official Canadian foreign policy. Continue reading

Montreal, November 19th, 2019 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) decries the American government’s ridiculous attempt to legitimize Israel’s illegal colonies (aka “settlements.”) CJPME calls on all Canadian political parties to immediately reject the Trump administration’s “decree” on the matter, and to condemn Israel’s ongoing colonial ambitions in Palestinian territory.  Continue reading

Montreal, November 19th, 2019 — Alongside fifteen Canadian civil society organizations, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) has signed a letter addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau concerning the increasingly unstable human rights situation in Iraq. The letter calls on the incoming Liberal government to intervene to end the violence and human rights violations which have characterized the Iraqi government’s response to the popular protests in Iraq since October.    Continue reading

Montreal, November 15, 2019 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is deeply disturbed by the Canadian government’s one-sided response to the violence erupting in Gaza. CJPME calls on the Canadian government to condemn Israel’s killings in Gaza and follow through on its 2018 promise to establish an independent investigation to thoroughly examine the facts on the ground. Continue reading