Montreal, May 12, 2015  — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) repudiates the Harper government’s threat to use “hate crime” laws against BDS activists, as suggested in a CBC article yesterday.  BDS stands for “Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions” and is a movement to put economic pressure on Israel to – among other aims – stop its unlawful colonization of Palestinian territories.  Like CJPME, many Canadians would view legal action by the Harper government as an attempt to silence legitimate criticism of Israel’s violation of Palestinian human rights and international law.

Montreal, June 17, 2014 — Three of Canada’s top writers are among the 16 internationally renowned artists who, after a recent visit to the West Bank, have issued a strongly worded statement. The declaration expresses the “utmost sadness and dismay” over Israel’s recent announcement of yet another 1500 illegal settlement units in the West Bank. The artists note that this move is particularly unfortunate at a moment when the Palestinians have formed a unity government. 

Montreal, June 12, 2014 — According to a June 5 Financial Times report, G4S—a British-Danish company that is the largest security firm in the world — has confirmed that it will be withdrawing from involvement in the Palestinian Territories within three years, as announced in 2013. The announcement came at a shareholders’ meeting disrupted by human rights protesters. The firm also indicated that it will eventually withdraw from all prison service contracts throughout Israel. However, it appears that that is not soon enough for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. According to a Bloomberg News June 7 report, the Foundation has now divested entirely its holdings in G4S. The company and Foundation decisions were taken after intense criticism of G4S for its role enabling Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories and repression of Palestinians.

Montreal, March 17, 2014  — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) welcomes the University of Windsor students’ recent decision to support divestment from companies implicated in Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories. CJPME notes that this is the first time that such a decision has been taken by a campus-wide referendum, rather than by the student association’s council.  CJPME laments U of W President Alan Wildeman’s current attempt to discredit the referendum, and believes his actions are in response to coercive pressure from donors who are hostile to Palestinians and Muslims.  “It is lamentable that in this day and age, a university president is making vague threats against a student organization because the results of a student referendum are not to his own liking, or to that of certain donors,” says CJPME President Thomas Woodley.

As endorsed by more than 20 Hamilton and McMaster organizations, a motion on whether to support the BDS campaign will be put to vote on March 26 at McMaster University. Opponents of BDS have already put pressure on McMaster president Patrick Deane to have him intervene in case the motion is accepted.

CJPME Factsheet 158, published August, 2012: This factsheet looks at the growing international opposition to Israeli colonies (a.k.a. “settlements”), and how such opposition manifests itself in Western society.  This factsheet puts a focus on Western perceptions, and Canadian and US popular opposition to Israeli colonies.

CJPME Factsheet 157, published August, 2012: This factsheet discusses the way in which Israeli Jewish-only colonies (a.k.a. “settlements”) impede progress toward peace between Israelis and Palestinians.  The factsheet then outlines why and how “settlement” industries can be boycotted in Canada.

CJPME Factsheet 154, published April, 2012: Moroccan oil is an Israeli beauty products company that has listed products as “Made in Israel” but refuses to disclose the location of its production facilities.  This factsheet lays out the reasons that CJPME recommends a boycott of Moroccan Oil.

CJPME Factsheet 148, published April, 2012: Naot Shoes is an Israeli company closely linked economically to Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories. This factsheet provides the links, and the legal reasons why boycotting Naot Shoes is the appropriate action to take to pressure Israel economically.