A group of 30 Canadians, including six Members of Parliament, faced entry denial to the West Bank early on Tuesday. Israel’s co-ordinator of government activities in the territories (COGAT) cited “security reasons” for the refusal. The COGAT statement explained that the delegation arrived at the Allenby border crossing without prior coordination, leading to the denial after security checks and consultations with relevant authorities.
Among the individuals affected were members of the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), who revealed that each delegate had to sign a form declaring they posed a threat to public safety before entry. However, Liberal MP Sameer Zuberi disputed this account, clarifying that the form merely notified individuals of the reasons for denial rather than granting entry.
The trip, organized by The Canadian-Muslim Vote, involved parliamentarians planning to meet with various groups and officials in the region, including civil society organizations, Palestinian refugees, and representatives from the Canadian government and Palestinian Authority. Despite the entry setback, the members of the delegation were reported safe and en route back to Jordan, with intentions to return to Canada following scheduled meetings.
This incident occurred amidst strained relations between Canada and Israel, exacerbated by Canada’s recent formal recognition of a Palestinian state before the United Nations General Assembly. The growing tension between the two countries has raised speculation about potential motives behind the entry denial. In a similar event in 2024, a group of MPs managed to visit displaced Palestinians in the West Bank without issues.
Requests for comments from the Israeli government regarding the visit went unanswered initially, with spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian indicating a lack of information available at the time.
