Montreal, July 5, 2018 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is calling for Canadian intervention following the arrest of 21-year old Canadian citizen Michaela Lavis in the Palestinian village of Khan al-Ahmar. Lavis and a dozen other international human rights activists were arrested this morning while trying to defend Khan al-Ahmar from Israeli demolition. CJPME calls for Canadian intervention to ensure the immediate release of Michaela Lavis, and to protect the Palestinians of Khan al-Ahmar from more Israeli human rights violations. Continue reading

Montreal, July 5, 2018 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is proud to join Amnesty International, and six other human rights organizations in calling for an independent, external review into allegations of misuse of Canadian military exports by Saudi Arabia. While the government conducted an internal review of the allegations last year, CJPME and its collaborating organizations* issued a joint letter to Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland that expresses deep concerns with major shortcomings in the report and calls for an independent review. Continue reading

Montreal, July 3, 2018 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) applauds the work and recommendations of the Canada-Palestine Parliamentary Friendship Group’s (CPPFG) following its March 30th to April 6th educational trip to Palestine. The delegation's report, issued late last month, provides a detailed account of the MPs’ itinerary and experiences, while highlighting the struggle of Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation. Continue reading

June 21, 2018 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) opposes the TD Ottawa Jazz Festival’s “Focus Israel” series sponsored by the Israeli embassy in conjunction with the Canada-Israel Cultural Foundation. The “Focus Israel” series is set to begin tonight and will run until Sunday, June 24th.  CJPME calls on the festival organizers to reconsider collaboration with the state of Israel – a state whose policies are regularly called out for human rights abuses by Amnesty International and other human rights organizations.  Continue reading

June 14, 2018 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is disappointed by the Trudeau government’s decision to abstain on a UN General Assembly vote yesterday condemning Israel for its disproportionate violence against Palestinians in Gaza in recent weeks.  The resolution text rightly deplored the “excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force by the Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and particularly in the Gaza Strip,” and called attention to Israel’s use of live ammunition against civilian protesters, including children, medics and journalists.  Continue reading

June 6, 2018 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is disappointed by the Conservatives’ attempt to divide and mislead with today’s opposition motion to condemn Hamas.  The motion makes a number of assertions about the current Gaza situation and Hamas which don’t stand up to scrutiny.  The statement also ignores the broader context of the Israel-Palestine conflict, one where Israel is the belligerent occupier of Palestinian territory.  CJPME believes the motion is intended to score cheap political points in Canada on the backs of dispossessed and oppressed Palestinians.  Continue reading

Montreal, May 29, 2018 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) calls for a review and revamp of Canada-Israel trade ties.  Today, Israel’s minister of trade was feted at the Royal York hotel in Toronto, and activists from several organizations were present to protest trade cooperation with Israel.  Protesters attendant at the meeting stood up, one after the other, to disrupt the Israeli trade minister’s speech.  Their objections raised several issues, but heavily questioned how Canada could endorse deeper ties with Israel given Israel’s brutal and illegal crackdown on Palestinian protesters in Gaza just two weeks ago which also injured a Canadian doctor.  Continue reading

May 22, 2018 — At least 16,000 Canadians have emailed support for Prime Minister Trudeau’s comments last Wednesday condemning Israel’s use of live ammunition on Palestinian protesters.  These thousands of emails were sent to Trudeau, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, and other Parliamentary leaders and critics via a platform set up by Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME.)  The local MPs of each person who used the platform were also copied on the emails sent.  This number does not include the many individuals who expressed support via other means.     Continue reading

May 17, 2018 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) supports Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement on Gaza. Yesterday, PM Trudeau expressed grave concern with the outbreak of violence against unarmed Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, and called for an “immediate independent investigation to thoroughly examine facts on the ground – any incitement, violence and the use of excessive force.” CJPME calls on the government to keep its promise to Canadians in investigating Israel’s actions in Gaza.   Continue reading

Montreal, May 15, 2018 — This week, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) commemorates the 70th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba. The Nakba, meaning “catastrophe” in Arabic, refers to the dispossession and loss suffered by the Palestinians as a result of the UN Partition Plan of 1947.  Over a period of several months, at least 700,000 Palestinians became refugees, and hundreds of thousands more were displaced from their homes and livelihoods by Jewish militias. The Nakba is still very much part of the living memory of Palestinians, who still haven’t been allowed to establish their own state, and who face ongoing persecution from the Israeli government. Continue reading