Letter to Ministers Joly and Miller regarding Settler violence in the West Bank

The Honourable Mélanie Joly
Minister of Foreign Affairs

The Honourable Marc Miller
Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

December 19, 2023
Re: Settler violence in the West Bank

Dear Ministers Joly and Miller,

We write to you today to urge the Government of Canada to ban entry to extremist settlers involved in violence in the West Bank.

As horror unfolds in Gaza, and as peace in the region is further away than ever, we must not turn away from the deteriorating situation in the West Bank.

Palestinians in the West Bank are terrorized. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, nearly 400 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank this year, including over 100 children. Settler violence in the West Bank has massively increased since the terrible terrorist attacks of October 7th.

Extremist settlers in the West Bank are targeting Palestinians who have every right to live in peace on their land. Much of this settler violence is supervised by Israeli occupation forces who refuse to intervene or enforce the law.

The Netanyahu government has not only refused to act to curb this violence, but actively encourages it. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who has been convicted of inciting hatred and supporting terrorism, has distributed weapons to extremist settlers. Genocidal language by Ben Gvir and other ministers is profoundly alarming and fueling hatred and attacks on civilians, including children. The expansion of illegal settlements is further contributing to this violence and harming chances of a peaceful resolution to the decades-long occupation.

While we welcome the joint statement issued Friday in which Canada, Australia and New Zealand condemned extremist settler violence, we are profoundly disappointed to see that your government has refused to sanction extremist settlers. Both the United States and the United Kingdom announced visa bans on those responsible for settler violence. The European Union has indicated it is likely to do the same.

Sanctioning violent settlers is a move several Jewish Canadian organizations have called for, including JSpace Canada.

New Democrats asked Global Affairs officials on December 6th whether Canada would respond to the increase in violence in the West Bank with an entry ban on extremist settlers.

In the two weeks since we posed that question, we have received no answer from Global Affairs or IRCC. Today CBC reported that Canada still won’t say whether it will impose sanctions.

Your government’s refusal to take a decision is unacceptable. This is a crucial moment when Canada must stand up for international law and the human rights of Palestinians. New Democrats are frustrated by your government’s weak response to this crisis. Where is the bold and principled leadership that Canadians are asking for?

We urge your government to join with the US, UK and EU and announce an entry ban on any extremist settler connected to violent attacks on Palestinians and their land. Canada must send a strong signal to the Government of Israel that this state-sanctioned violence is unacceptable. Canada must not be complicit in these violations of international law.

Sincerely,

Heather McPherson, M.P.
Edmonton Strathcona
NDP Critic for Foreign Affairs

Jenny Kwan, M.P.
Vancouver East
NDP Critic for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship