Author Gideon Levy speaks in Canada on Israeli Elections
Montreal, March 5, 2015 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is delighted to announce the imminent lecture tour of renowned Israeli author and journalist Gideon Levy. The title of the lectures is “Israeli Elections: What next for Israel-Palestine” The lecture tour will take place almost immediately after the upcoming Israeli elections on March 17. Thus Levy—who has written for the Israeli daily Haaretz since 1982, and is a member of its editorial board—will critique the Israeli election results, and give his take on how the outcome will influence the Israel-Palestine conflict.
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CJPME urges restraint with regards to Bill C-51
Montreal, February 23, 2015 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East urges caution in regards to the Conservative government’s new anti-terror legislation, known as Bill C-51. The legislation proposes lowering the threshold for arrest, criminalizing the promotion of terrorism, expanding the no-fly list, and allowing the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) the ability to disrupt and counter-message suspected terror activity. While the Harper government has promoted the bill as way to protect Canadians against “violent jihadism,” many are arguing that the legislation unduly curtails Canadian freedoms and privacy.
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Canadian M.O.U. with Israel Threatens Open Debate
Montreal, February 4, 2015 — During his visit to the Middle East last month, Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird signed a number of agreements with the State of Israel, among them a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding diplomatic cooperation. While the memorandum covers a variety of topics, including advocating the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the document also touches on limiting criticism of Israel, which it identifies as “the new face of anti-Semitism.” While the MOU is vague, it has the potential of being interpreted very broadly. As such, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) criticizes the MOU as having the potential to dangerously curtail public debate.
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Deal to train Egyptian police betrays Canadian values
Montreal, February 3, 2015 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) questions the appropriateness of a recently announced police training agreement between Canada and Egypt. Under the agreement, Canadian police would travel to Egypt to train Egyptian officers, and a number of Egyptian police officers would come to train at the Canadian Police College in Ottawa. CJPME opposes this agreement given that the current Egyptian government is widely condemned for civil liberties and human rights abuses against its people. Most of the abuses cited have been carried out by Egypt’s Interior Ministry, the very ministry whose staff would receive training from Canadian police experts.
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CJPME warns against growing Islamophobia in Canada
Montreal, February 3, 2015 — While all Canadians are concerned about the threat of violent extremism in the world, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) warns against the danger of growing Islamophobia in Canada. CJPME believes that the threat of violent extremism in the world – including violent Islamic extremism – must be condemned and addressed, but that Muslims in Canada must be protected from a number of emerging forms of discrimination. “For the protection of Muslims and other minorities, and for the preservation of cherished values, we should not let global events undermine the legal right to equality in Canada,” stated Thomas Woodley, President of CJPME.
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Canada Should Rethink Relationship with Saudi Arabia
Montreal, January 28, 2015 — The Canadian government has come under fire this week after critics raised questions about its recently finalized arms deal with Saudi Arabia. The $15-billion export deal is without question the largest ever brokered by a Canadian Crown corporation, although many have begun to wonder whether the agreement complies with federal export controls. Under Canadian trade policy, export partners with a “persistent record of serious violations of the human rights of their citizens” must be able to guarantee that the military equipment it is purchasing will not be used against its own people. As of this week, the Canadian government is refusing to confirm that it has obtained these assurances from the Saudi state.
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Canada’s Reputation in the Middle East Needlessly Squandered
Montreal, January 21, 2015 – Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird’s visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories this week demonstrated just how badly Canada’s image has been tarnished in the Middle East. Upon arriving in the West Bank, Baird’s convoy was pelted with eggs and shoes by Palestinians dissatisfied with the Canadian government’s stance on the situation in the region. While Canada managed to remain somewhat neutral with regard to the Arab-Israeli conflict under previous governments, recent remarks by Baird illustrate just how far Canada has come in its fawning support for Israel and its disregard for legitimate Palestinian concerns.
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CJPME Condemns Flogging of Saudi Blogger
Montreal, January 21, 2015 – Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) condemns the public flogging of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi. Badawi was convicted in a Saudi court of insulting Islam via his website Free Saudi Liberals. His sentencing includes 10 years in jail and 1000 lashes, followed by a 10-year travel ban, a ban on the use of media, and a fine of 1,000,000 riyals. Badawi’s conviction and sentencing have resulted in widespread international condemnation because 1) Badawi’s supposed crimes are so subjective, and 2) the use of flogging violates international law’s prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment.
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Harper Knesset speech avoids real reasons for Mideast conflict
Montreal, January 21, 2014 — CJPME laments that in his address to the Knesset yesterday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper misrepresented the reasons for international criticism of Israel’s conduct. “Harper attributed criticism of Israel’s conduct to anti-Semitism. In reality, the criticisms – including those from various European governments whose commitment to Israel’s survival is unstinting—are of Israel’s ongoing illegal land grab in the West Bank, its harsh military occupation, the longest in modern history, and its brutal blockade of Gaza,” says CJPME President Thomas Woodley. CJPME notes that although Harper alleges that critics of Israel’s conduct are “singling Israel out” for criticism, in fact most of the organizations and governments criticising Israel’s conduct also frequently criticise other countries’ actions. “In effect, through such accusations, Harper has thrown Palestinians under the bus of Israeli territorial ambitions,” adds Woodley.
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CJPME highlights irony in presence of certain World Leaders in Paris
Montreal, 14 January 2015 – Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) notes the irony in the presence of certain world leaders marching to uphold human rights in Paris. The million-person march on the 11 of January 2014 took place to protest the Charlie Hebdo shooting in Paris where 17 people were killed. Over 50 world leaders linked arm-in-arm led the symbolic march to denounce the shooting which represented an attack on freedom of speech. Ironically, the countries of many world leaders linking arms in Paris also suppress freedom of speech.
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