Montreal, October 30, 2021  — CJPME joins 234 organizations in calling on the international community to protect Palestinian civil society, and to condemn Israel's "terrorist" designation of six leading Palestinian human rights organizations as a wrongful act. Read the joint statement below. Continue reading

Montreal, October 28, 2021  — A survey of Canadian opinion conducted by EKOS Research Associates reveals a disturbing problem of racist attitudes toward Arabs in Canada. The survey found that Canadians hold more negative views towards immigration from Arab countries, compared to immigration in general, and that Canadians hold negative stereotypes about Arabs and Arab society. At the same time, the survey shows that Canadians acknowledge anti-Arab racism to be a problem, are generally opposed to racial profiling of Arabs, and recognize that various barriers can negatively affect the ability of Arab-Canadians to secure employment. Finally, the survey results show that Canadians hold Arabs less responsible than Israel for prolonging the “Arab-Israeli conflict,” and support proactive measures to hold Israel accountable. Continue reading

Montreal, October 22, 2021  — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is expressing serious alarm following a major Israeli assault against Palestinian civil society. Israel’s Minister of Defense Benny Gantz today declared six respected and credible Palestinian organizations – several of them human rights organizations - to be “terrorist organisations,” in a clear attempt to shut down their activities. CJPME warns that this designation is likely to have catastrophic financial, legal, and reputational consequences for these vulnerable organizations, putting the work and safety of their employees at risk. Continue reading

Montreal, October 21, 2021 – CJPME is pleased to announce that its small claims court lawsuit with Ezra Levant and Rebel Media News Network Ltd. has been settled. Launched in early 2021, CJPME’s suit was based on Rebel Media’s failure to promptly comply with the terms of a previous settlement between the two parties, reached in February 2020. Continue reading

Montreal, October 8, 2021  — Below is a letter from CJPME to the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). The letter raises concerns over how supporters of Palestinian rights have been mistreated by the TDSB, while pro-Israel lobby groups have been given an opportunity to shape curriculum. Click here to download a PDF of the letter. Continue reading

Montreal, September 30, 2021 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is extremely concerned about a pattern of anti-Palestinian racism in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) after a series of instances in which the board has reprimanded or disavowed voices who spoke about Palestinian human rights. Most recently, the board apologized for causing “harm” after journalist and activist Desmond Cole spoke about Palestinian rights during an event about anti-Black racism. CJPME is also deeply troubled that TDSB intends to hire a pro-Israel lobby group - with a history of trying to silence academic critics of Israel - to design classroom resources on “anti-Palestinian and anti-Israel sentiments.” Continue reading

Montreal, September 8, 2021  — This week, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) issued its “Vote 2021 Elections Guide,” evaluating the record and promises of the five largest federal parties on Palestine-Israel and other Middle East issues. The guide evaluates the parties on ten different Middle East issues according to a number of different criteria, including 1) their support for international law; 2) their consistent application of international law; 3) their eschewal of armed violence; 4) their humanitarian concern; 5) their support for representative governance; and 6) their sense of urgency in responding to crises. Continue reading

Montreal, August 18, 2021: Today, a partnership of Canadian advocacy groups launched Vote Palestine: a campaign and online resource to put issues of human rights in Palestine-Israel on the agenda for the federal election. Central to the campaign is a joint platform of shared demands that civil society groups hope to see candidates take on. With these tools, Vote Palestine intends to challenge candidates to make clear commitments on foreign policy that could bring about real change for the better in the region.   Continue reading

Montreal, July 26, 2021  — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is calling for a major shift in Canadian policy vis-a-vis Israel and Palestine to de-emphasize the goal of a “two-state solution,” noting that the longstanding position of the Canadian government may no longer be possible nor desirable. In a new policy document, CJPME argues that the emphasis on a two-state solution has become an obstacle to peace, and that Canadian officials need to be open to possible alternatives that would uphold equal rights and freedoms, including a “one-state solution,” or a single democratic state with equal rights. Regardless of the preferred political arrangement, CJPME argues that sanctions against Israel are required to advance Palestinian self-determination. Continue reading

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. Continue reading