A Canadian delegation, which included six MPs, was recently denied entry into the West Bank and is urging Ottawa to strengthen sanctions against new Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. The group, aiming to meet with displaced Palestinians, was blocked at the Allenby border crossing on Dec. 16. Witnesses reported an incident where Ontario MP Iqra Khalid was pushed by an Israeli border guard during the encounter.
Representatives from the delegation, which included members from Canadian-Muslim Vote, Justice for All Canada, and the National Council of Canadian Muslims, are requesting Ottawa to prohibit the import of goods produced in the occupied West Bank and restrict Canadians from purchasing property in those settlement regions. This appeal follows the Israeli security cabinet’s recent approval of 19 new settlements in parts of the West Bank under military control, a decision that Canada and its allies have criticized.
The groups involved are engaged in ongoing discussions with Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand’s office regarding the incident on Dec. 16 but have not yet had a formal meeting with the minister.
