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.

For many years, the Canadian government has opposed all efforts by Palestinians to seek justice or relief in international forums. Canada’s diplomatic record is significantly tarnished by its one-sided support for Israel, which shields Israel from criticism and upholds impunity for violations of human rights international law. In this Position Paper, CJPME outlines a strategy for Canada that emphasizes the equitable application of international law and the need for accountability.

This report highlights the widespread problem of anti-Palestinian racism (APR) in Canadian society, exposing more than 500 examples of this form of racism in online written content in 2022. The report argues that the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism should be recognized as a key purveyor of APR, as it drives conflation of antisemitism with criticism of Israel, leading to unfair and defamatory attacks on Palestinians and their supporters. Issued December 2023 Click here to download the full report as a PDF Continue reading

This report evaluates the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement (CIFTA) and its relationship to the occupied Palestinian territories (OPT). The report demonstrates that CIFTA treats the OPT as if it was already formally annexed by Israel, that Palestinians were never a partner or signatory to the agreement, and that Palestinians do not really benefit economically from it. The report concludes with recommendations for how Canada can support trade with Palestine without reinforcing Israel’s occupation and apartheid. Issued September 2023 Click here to download the full report as a PDF Continue reading

This report compares the treatment of Palestinian child detainees in the Israeli-occupied West Bank to both Jewish settler detainees that live in the same territory and Canadian child detainees. In doing so, this analysis exposes the disparity in the way that Palestinian children are treated, as part of Israel’s system of apartheid and state-sponsored violence. At the end, several recommendations for the Canadian government to take to protect the rights of Palestinian Children are provided. Issued June 14, 2023 Click here to download the full report as a PDF Continue reading

This report looks at the problem of political advertising on TheJ.ca, a Website which regularly publishes racist content. CJPME has found advertisements on this website on behalf of Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, and other politicians at the federal, provincial, and municipal level, as well as a variety of businesses and non-profits. The Website's content discredits Black civil rights movements, disability activists, Muslims, Arabs, Palestinians, and Indigenous claims, including articles claiming that some ethnic groups “matter more” than others. The report calls on these politicians to discontinue advertising on this website and issue formal statements distancing themselves from its abhorrent views. Click here to access the full report Please click here to view screenshots of political advertisements on TheJ.ca. Please click here to view screenshots of business and non-profit advertisements on TheJ.ca. Continue reading

This 14-page report demonstrates how the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism is used to silence critical political expression of Israel. Proponents of the IHRA definition of antisemitism claim that it does not silence free speech on Palestine. In practice, however, IHRA is used to target those who express their solidarity with Palestinians and risks being used daily against those who challenge Israel's treatment of Palestinians. Access the full report here. Continue reading

This 20-page report provides stark observations on the grave situation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories (OPT). The report is authored by CJPME’s VP, Michael Bueckert, who returned on Nov. 11, 2022, from a two-week trip to the OPT and Palestinian communities within Israel. Bottom line: the brutal status quo in Palestine-Israel is untenable; Canada’s position is totally out of touch with reality; and Palestinians on both sides of the Green Line desire equality and an end to Israeli apartheid. Access the full report here. Continue reading

Canada’s pro-Israel voting record at the UN contradicts its own values and interests and harms its international reputation, according to documents released via Access to Information legislation. The released documents cover the period leading up to Canada’s 2019 decision to resume its support for Palestinian self-determination at the UN. In this report, CJPME looks at how Canadian officials really view Canada's UN voting record, and urges Canada to support all resolutions which aim to uphold Palestinian human rights. Issued September 7, 2022 Continue reading

In this position paper, CJPME outlines the problem of Canada's accelerating arms exports to Israel at a time when Israeli practices are increasingly recognized as amounting to apartheid. Photo credit: Hersi Osman / Association of Palestinian Arab Canadians.