Members of a Canadian group that was refused entry to the West Bank earlier this month are urging Ottawa to strengthen measures against new Israeli settlements in occupied territories. The delegation, which included six Canadian MPs aiming to meet with displaced Palestinians, was denied access at the Allenby border crossing on Dec. 16.
Witnesses from the delegation reported an incident where Ontario MP Iqra Khalid was allegedly pushed by an Israeli border guard during the encounter. Representatives from the delegation, comprising members of the Canadian-Muslim Vote, Justice for All Canada, and the National Council of Canadian Muslims, are advocating for a ban on imports of products from the occupied West Bank and a prohibition on Canadians purchasing property in these settlement areas.
Their call comes in response to Israel’s 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 are engaged in ongoing discussions with Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand’s office regarding the events of Dec. 16 but have not yet had a formal meeting with the minister.