CJPME and 66+ Organizations Demand CBC Improves Coverage of Palestine
On July 21, 2021, CJPME co-signed a letter to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, demanding editorial and policy changes to improve CBC's coverage of Palestine. The letter was written with CBC Palestine (a collective of independent organizers) and the Coalition of Canadian Palestinian Organizations, and endorsed by 66 civil society groups, including CUPE Ontario, the Canadian Friends Service Committee (Quakers), and Independent Jewish Voices Canada.
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CJPME Declares Middle East Trip a Failure as Minister Garneau Refuses to Confront Israeli Apartheid
Montreal, July 6, 2021 — As Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau’s trip to the Middle East comes to a close, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is calling the initiative a failure due to the Minister’s refusal to hold Israeli officials accountable for egregious human rights violations. “Canadians were shocked to see Minister Garneau take a ‘business-as-usual’ approach to a government led by Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, a far-right racist and war criminal who has boasted about killing Arabs and supports perpetual apartheid,” Michael Bueckert, Vice President of CJPME. “Any Canadians looking for indications that their government was prepared to take action to protect the rights of Palestinians will be deeply disappointed” added Bueckert.
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Minister Garneau Must Use Middle East Trip to Press Israel on Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan
Montreal, June 30, 2021 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is urging Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau to use his trip to the Middle East this week to press Israel on the impending mass expulsions of Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan. Garneau will be visiting Israel and the occupied West Bank within the next few days to “advance Canada’s support towards the goal of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the region and a 2-state solution.” CJPME notes that Garneau’s visit will take place as 175 Palestinian families in the occupied East Jerusalem neighbourhoods of Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan are under threat of being expelled from their homes to be replaced with Israeli settlers.
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CJPME Joins Partners to Denounce Human Rights Violations in Algeria
Montreal, June 22, 2021 — Today, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) joins dozens of organizations from around the world in denouncing the Algerian government’s alarming crackdown on dissent, and violations of human rights. In 2019, Algeria saw significant civil unrest, with massive numbers of citizens taking peacefully to the streets. The 2019 protests called for dramatic political reforms and a reshaping of the entire governing system, but were met with stiff government violence and repression. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, protests resumed in February, 2021, and the Algerian government has again responded brutally.
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CJPME applauds Canadian Labour Congress for endorsing sanctions on Israel
Montreal, June 18, 2021 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) congratulates the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) for resolving to campaign for Palestinian human rights and endorsing the use of sanctions and divestment against Israel. An emergency motion adopted by the CLC’s Canadian Council commits to support a ban on settlement goods, promoting divestment from Israeli military and security companies, and calling on Canada halt arms sales to Israel, among other measures. The CLC represents more than three million workers in Canada.
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Canada Must Act to Protect Palestinians from Israel’s Dangerous New Prime Minister
Montreal, June 13, 2021 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is urging the Canadian government to take immediate action to guarantee the rights and safety of Palestinians following the nomination of Israel’s new far-right Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. CJPME warns that Bennett has a long history of violently racist statements and actions against Palestinians, and therefore poses a grave threat to the millions of Palestinians who live under Israel’s military rule.
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CJPME Opposes Quebec's Anti-Democratic Adoption of IHRA
Montreal, June 11, 2021 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) opposes Quebec's unilateral adoption of the controversial IHRA definition of antisemitism, which conflates antisemitism with criticism of Israel and therefore poses a threat to free speech on issues related to Israel's human rights abuses. On June 9, the Quebec government announced that it was unilaterally adopting IHRA. This decision was taken without public input or debate, just days after a motion in the National Assembly to endorse IHRA was blocked by Québec solidaire.
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Annamie Paul Must Abandon Toxic Anti-Palestine Politics Before It Destroys the Green Party
Montreal, June 10, 2021 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is calling on Green Party of Canada (GPC) leader Annamie Paul to abandon her toxic, anti-Palestine approach to politics before it destroys the party, following the departure of MP Jenica Atwin. Atwin’s decision to leave the GPC comes in the wake of vile attacks against her by Annamie Paul’s senior advisor and spokesperson, who slandered Atwin as antisemitic and vowed to “defeat” her in retaliation for appropriate criticism of Israeli apartheid. Despite Annamie Paul’s insistence that this incident had nothing to do with Atwin leaving, a statement from the GPC caucus confirmed that it “created the conditions that led to this crisis.”
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Human Rights Groups Applaud Québec Solidaire for Rejecting the Controversial IHRA Antisemitism Definition
Montreal, June 4, 2021 - Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME), the Canada Palestine Foundation of Quebec (CPFQ) and Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) congratulate Québec Solidaire for rejecting a non-binding motion in Quebec’s National Assembly this morning which would have adopted language from the dangerously-flawed and widely-rejected International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism. In rejecting this motion, Québec Solidaire is the only party in the National Assembly to have taken a firm position both against antisemitism and against the silencing of Palestinian voices.
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CJPME Statement in Support of Javier Davila
June 3, 2021 - Below is a statement from CJPME in support of Javier Davila, a Toronto anti-oppression educator who is being disciplined and investigated for sharing information on Palestine.
Download a PDF version of the statement here.
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