Montreal, September 20, 2022 - Below is a joint statement from faculty and civil society groups raising human rights concerns over a recent trip to Israel by Canadian university presidents.  Continue reading

Montreal, September 19, 2022 - Below is a letter from CJPME to NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh thanking him for his recent positions in support of Palestinian human rights. Click here for the full PDF version. Continue reading

Montreal, September 12th, 2022 - Below is a letter to the YRDSB Board of Trustees urging them to reject the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. On September 13, the YRDSB Board voted overwhelmingly to postpone the vote indefinitely.Click here to download the PDF version.  Continue reading

Montreal, September 7, 2022 — Canada’s career foreign affairs officials admit that Canada’s staunchly pro-Israel voting record at the United Nations contradicts its own values and interests and harms its international reputation, according to documents released under the Access to Information Act and obtained by Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME). The released documents cover the period leading up to Canada’s 2019 decision to resume its support for Palestinian self-determination at the UN, and reveal how Canadian officials critically view Canada’s voting record. CJPME urges the Canadian government to use the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to reorient its approach, and to start supporting resolutions which aim to uphold Palestinian human rights. Continue reading

Montreal, August 23, 2022 — CJPME joins over 190 organizations in demanding the international community to stand against Israel's militarized raids and forced closures of 7 Palestinian organizations. Read the joint statement below. Continue reading

Montreal, August 18, 2022 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) has written to Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly urging immediate action in support of six leading Palestinian NGOs, whose offices in Ramallah were violently raided and shut down by Israeli occupation forces early this morning. Israel outlawed these organizations in October 2021 by falsely designating them as “terrorist” groups, but no credible evidence justifying this designation has ever been brought forward. This morning, Israeli forces raided and damaged the offices of the six organizations, confiscating their property, welding their doors shut, and leaving behind military orders declaring the organizations to be unlawful. Continue reading

Montreal, August 18, 2022 - Below is a letter to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Mélanie Joly, urging her to take action and condemn Israel's latest attack on six leading Palestinian NGOs, whose offices were raided and shut down early this morning. Click here to download the PDF version.  Continue reading

Montreal, August 8, 2022 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is demanding that the Canadian government holds Israeli officials accountable for its unprovoked and aggressive war against Gaza this weekend, which killed at least 44 Palestinians. Canada has not commented on Israel’s actions except to support Israel’s right to security, ignoring Israel’s pattern of deliberately targeting civilians in airstrikes – in what clearly amount to war crimes. CJPME urges Canada to end Israel’s impunity and deter future violence, including by ending military trade with Israel. Continue reading

Montreal, August 4, 2022 - Below is a letter to Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino urging him to reject a recommendation in the Standing Committee report on "Ideologically Motivated Violent Extremism" which seems to target legitimate human rights work and Palestine activism. Click here to download PDF version of the letter. UPDATE NOVEMBER 24, 2022: CJPME is pleased that the government has decided not to endorse the report's Recommendation 20. Following the publication of the above letter, CJPME and Independent Jewish Voices Canada met with Parliamentary Secretary Pam Damoff to discuss our concerns. CJPME later received a letter from Public Safety which noted our concerns over the "potential impacts of this recommendation on legitimate criticism of the State of Israel," and said that "the considerations you raised regarding the possible effects of fully accepting this recommendation were taken into account." Along those lines, the government's response to the report only "takes note" of  Recommendation 20, declining to express agreement with it or take further action. Continue reading

Montreal, June 29, 2022- Below is a letter to Eric Reguly, thanking him for publishing the “Gaza’s young people have known nothing but a blockade for 15 years. Palestinians share their stories of endurance.” article in the Globe and Mail. Despite criticism, Eric Reguly displayed acts of journalist integrity by speaking on Israel's 15-year blockade on Gaza. Click here to download PDF version of the letter.  Continue reading