Montreal, April 13, 2022  — A new report published today by Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) raises serious human rights concerns posed by Canada’s arms exports to Israel. The report, titled Arming Apartheid: Canada’s Arms Exports to Israel, finds that Canada’s arms exports to Israel have been accelerating in recent years – reaching a 30-year high in 2020.  A significant percentage of Canada's arms exports to Israel are categorized as explosives and related components, and could include bombs, torpedoes, rockets, missiles, or other explosive devices. The report argues that Israel’s occupation, violence against civilians, and discriminatory policies – recently named as "apartheid" by Amnesty International – present a situation of extreme risk in which Canada’s arms exports could be implicated in violations of human rights and international law. Continue reading

On March 24, 2022, CJPME joined 89 Palestinian and international organizations in issuing a joint oral intervention to the UN Human Rights Council, welcoming the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Israeli apartheid. The intervention was delivered by Elizabeth Rghebi of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS). You can watch the video (starts at 01:18:54), or read the full statement below. You can also read CJPME's separate press release here. Continue reading

Montreal, March 25, 2022  — Below is a letter from CJPME to McGill University. The letter raises concerns over McGill University's threat to terminate its Memorandum of Understanding with the Student Society of McGill University (SSMU). Click here to download a PDF of the letter. Continue reading

Montreal, March 23, 2022  — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is urging Canada to act on the recommendations of an important new United Nations report which concludes that Israel is practicing apartheid in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). The report was authored by Michael Lynk, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, and will be introduced to the Human Rights Council on Thursday March 24. It conducts a legal analysis of Israel’s rule over the occupied territory, and concludes that it “satisfies the prevailing evidentiary standard for the existence of apartheid.” Continue reading

When the United Nations first established the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, they decided to mark it on the anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre of 1960, when South African police killed 69 people during a peaceful demonstration against apartheid laws. Although South Africa’s system of Apartheid has long since ended, groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have recently concluded that Israel also practices apartheid against the Palestinians. Continue reading

Montreal, March 8, 2022  — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) condemns the University of Toronto for threatening to withhold funding from the University of Toronto Graduate Students' Union (UTGSU) over its support for BDS. BDS is a Palestinian-led movement to pressure Israel with boycotts, divestment, and sanctions until Israel complies with international law. CJPME is aware that the university administration has sent a letter to the UTGSU promising to withhold a percentage of its membership fees, in retaliation over the union’s continued funding of their BDS Caucus. Continue reading

Montreal, February 1, 2022 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) welcomes a new report by Amnesty International which concludes that Israeli officials are perpetuating a system of Apartheid against the Palestinian people. Amnesty’s report bolsters the argument made by Palestinians, Israeli human rights groups, South African liberation leaders, and many other credible authorities, who for years have used the term Apartheid to describe forms of Israeli oppression. CJPME urges Canada’s political leaders to meaningfully engage with the report and its conclusions, and to adopt measures to hold Israeli officials accountable for perpetuating the crime of Apartheid. Continue reading

January 31, 2022 - Legislators from Europe and North America met today to discuss various legislative options that lawmakers can pursue to end the import of goods produced in illegal settlements in occupied territory, including by Israeli settlers in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt).  Continue reading

Montreal, January 28th, 2022 — On the fifth anniversary of the Quebec City Mosque Massacre, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) commemorates and remembers the tragic events at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City on January 29, 2017 which left 6 dead and 19 injured.  The victims included Azzeddine Soufiane, 57, father of three; Khaled Belkacemi, 60; Aboubaker Thabti; Mamadou Tanou, 42, father of two; Ibrahima Barry, 39, father of four; Abdelkrim Hassane, 41, father of three.  CJPME also points out that one year ago, the federal government designated that January 29 be recognized as a “National Day of Remembrance of the Québec City Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia.” Continue reading