Montreal, April 15, 2024 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is alarmed by Canada’s response to the military escalation between Israel and Iran, and is urging the government to do everything it can to prevent the outbreak of a broader war. Following Israel’s airstrike on an Iranian consulate in Syria on April 1, Iran retaliated over the weekend with an air attack on Israel. CJPME warns that Canada’s unconditional support for Israel, continued silence on its aggressions, and its failure to discourage Israel’s provocative attacks, may give the green light to Israel’s far-right government to pursue a catastrophic war with Iran that drags the US and Canada into full-scale confrontation with the Iranian military.

Israel’s devastating war on Gaza and the routine violence faced by Palestinians under military occupation have produced a catastrophic human toll, with UN experts warning of a “genocide in the making.” Canada cannot continue to export arms to Israel and maintain a close working relationship with the Israeli military so long as it is involved in egregious violations of international humanitarian law. In this Position Paper, CJPME argues that Canada must use its diplomatic and economic leverage vis-a-vis Israel’s defense and security establishment to bring an immediate end to the violence.

Last week, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to prevent genocide by ending its restrictions on aid into Gaza. For months, UN experts have warned of the risk of imminent famine in Gaza, as Israel deliberately uses starvation as a weapon of war against Palestinians. For the past six months, little to no food, clean water or fuel has entered Gaza, leading to high levels of hunger and malnutrition. People are starving to death. While Canada has pledged financial aid, expressed support for airdropping aid, and supports a “humanitarian sea corridor,” none of these measures address the central problem: Israel’s blockade. More than 2 million people in Gaza are at risk, as starvations and famine are spreading. Canada must put meaningful pressure on Israel to end its siege and allow the entry of aid into Gaza.

CJPME Factsheet 238, created December 2023: This revised and updated factsheet explains why the Palestine solidarity movement in Canada has been calling for boycott of Indigo Books & Music Inc., since 2006. It outlines how the founder and CEO of Indigo Heather Reisman co-founded the HESEG Foundation for Lone Soldiers, which encourages foreigners to join the Israeli army and continue their studies in Israel. The factsheet also explores additional ties between HESEG and the Israeli military.