Montreal, December 12, 2023 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) welcomes Canada’s vote at the United Nations General Assembly in support of a ceasefire in Gaza, which shows that the government is gradually ceding to popular pressure. Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 18,000 Palestinians over the last two months, and UN experts warn that Israel’s actions point to “a genocide in the making.” CJPME urges Canada to be unequivocal in demanding an end to Israel’s genocidal war, and to back up its words with the suspension of military trade with Israel. Continue reading

Montreal, December 7, 2023 — A new report from Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) highlights the widespread problem of anti-Palestinian racism (APR) in Canadian society, exposing more than 500 examples of this form of racism in online written content in 2022. Titled Anti-Palestinian Racism in Canada: CJPME’s 2022 Report, the report constitutes the first-ever, non-exhaustive study of APR in Canada. As the study is limited in scope, the problem of APR is likely much more serious than indicated here. Significantly, the report argues that the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism should be recognized as a key purveyor of APR, as it drives conflation of antisemitism with criticism of Israel, leading to unfair and defamatory attacks on Palestinians and their supporters. Continue reading

Montreal, December 4, 2023 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) condemns Israel’s decision not to renew the visa of a top United Nations humanitarian aid official, who is also a Canadian national. Israel has notified the UN that it will not renew the visa for Lynn Hastings, resident humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territories, when her visa expires later this month. CJPME urges the Canadian government to demand that Israel renew Hastings’ visa, and take action to hold Israel accountable for its attacks on humanitarian workers. Continue reading

Montreal, December 1, 2023 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) welcomes today’s historic introduction of official parliamentary petition e-4649, which calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and was sponsored by MP Alexandre Boulerice. With 286,700 signatures, it is the most popular e-petition in the history of Parliament. CJPME welcomes this petition as a symbol of Canadians’ unprecedented support for Palestinian rights and an end to Israel’s war. CJPME urges Prime Minister Trudeau to respect the overwhelming calls for a ceasefire, and ensure that the temporary truce between Israel and Hamas does not revert to a resumption of bloodshed. Continue reading

Montreal, November 29, 2023 — On this International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, we wish that we could be optimistic about the prospects for justice, peace, and a negotiated end to the occupation of Palestine. Instead, we find ourselves trying to find shards of hope in the midst of an attempted genocide by Israel in the occupied Gaza Strip and a failure of Canadian leadership at home. Continue reading

Montreal, November 24, 2023 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is appalled by the actions of the Toronto police in violently arresting 11 anti-war activists who had allegedly affixed posters and red paint to the exterior of an Indigo bookstore. CJPME notes that Indigo is a long-standing target of the movement to boycott Israel, due to the CEO’s indirect financial support for the Israeli military. CJPME insists that protesting Indigo is a legitimate form of expression against Israel’s war on Gaza and urges Toronto police to drop the spurious charges against the activists. Continue reading

Montreal, November 21, 2023 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) welcomes the temporary Qatar-mediated truce announced between Israel and Hamas, and urges the Canadian government to leverage this momentum to push for a permanent ceasefire. The multi-day truce deal will provide temporary relief in the fighting, an increase in humanitarian aid, and secure the release of some Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages. The deal was approved by the Israeli cabinet and is expected to come into effect on Thursday. CJPME warns that this truce must not be allowed to end with the resumption of Israel’s indiscriminate bombardment and siege of Gaza, but must lead to a complete cessation of hostilities and an end to the occupation and siege – a full ceasefire. Continue reading

Montreal, November 9, 2023 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) welcomes Canada’s renewed support for a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution on Palestinian refugees, but warns that this lone vote is insufficient in the face of the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza. On November 9, Canada voted in the UNGA’s Fourth Committee for a draft resolution in support of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestine refugees, after abstaining since 2011. However, in the same meeting, Canada voted against four other resolutions, including two supporting Palestine refugees and one condemning Israeli settlements. CJPME warns that Canada’s less-than-half-hearted approach indicates that it is not serious about addressing the human catastrophe that Israel is creating in Gaza. Continue reading

Montreal, November 08, 2023 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) applauds today’s call from the Bloc Québécois for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, which was announced by Yves-Francois Blanchet in a press conference this morning. The Bloc joins the NDP, Green Party, many Liberal MPs, civil society, and public opinion in calling for an end to Israel’s military offensive, which has killed more than 10,000 Palestinians in just one month. CJPME thanks the Bloc for adopting this principled position, and urges Prime Minister Trudeau to finally withdraw his support for Israel’s genocidal war. Continue reading

Montreal, November 08, 2023 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) sent a formal letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week urging him to join the international community in calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Canada has so far opposed calls for a ceasefire and appears to support Israel’s indefinite military escalation with the goal of “eliminating” Hamas. However, with more than 10,000 Palestinians killed in Israel’s offensive, and the siege on food, water, and electricity creating a catastrophic humanitarian toll, CJPME is urging Trudeau to acknowledge that its failed approach is only perpetuating further human suffering. Continue reading