Canadian MPs met in Occupied East Jerusalem with former Israeli soldiers now with “Breaking the Silence”. “We heard stories about constant humiliation and physical and mental torture“, said one. Read more.

Five Canadian Members of Parliament who recently returned from a fact-finding tour of the West Bank are demanding that Canada do more to protect Palestinian civilians under attack by Israeli settlers and soldiers, as they recount distressing scenes from the occupied territories.

The group included Liberal MPs Salma Zahid and Shafqat Ali and New Democrat MPs Heather McPherson (the party’s foreign affairs critic), Matthew Green and Lindsay Mathyssen.

The visit to Jordan, the West Bank and East Jerusalem included meetings with Palestinians in refugee camps, Canadian diplomatic representatives, United Nations agencies and progressive Israeli organizations.

For Liberal MP Salma Zahid, one of the most vocal advocates for Palestinian civilians within her caucus, the trip was one of the most poignant experiences of her life.

“The plight of the Palestinian people, which I have seen firsthand through my own eyes, and the stories I have heard through my own ears, has been really heavy on me,” Zahid told the Toronto Star.

The MPs were part of a 20-person Canadian delegation that included representatives from several Muslim humanitarian and civil society organizations. The trip was organized by Canadian Muslim Vote, a non-partisan and non-profit group that aims to boost civic engagement among Muslim Canadians. It said all major federal parties were invited to take part, but only Liberal and NDP MPs chose to go.

The MPs saw what they described as segregation through policies and practices they witnessed that have also been documented by media and human-rights groups.

“We can’t imagine what the people of Palestine are going through,” said Liberal MP Shafqat Ali. “What we witnessed with our own eyes, it’s basically constant humiliation, and constant mental torture.”

Umair Ashraf, the executive director of The Canadian Muslim Vote, organized the trip.“I thought I was ready for what I saw, but I wasn’t,” Ashraf said.

“This is the moral compass of our time”, – Canadian MP Matthew Green

One of the MP’s deeply affected by the 5 day trip was Heather McPherson, MP from Edmonton Strathcona. “Reading about the situation is not the same as being there”, she told CTIP. We asked her about why she went, what she saw and what lessons she draws.

See our 11 minute interview with McPherson here.

What can you do?

The MP’s heard lots of stories, but did not actually see FIRST HAND attacks by IDF or settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank. This doesn’t mean it’s not happening. This video report from an Aljazeera reporter makes it clear how the Israeli military tries to prevent journalists from reporting on the ongoing harassment and repression.

There are huge pressures on all MP’s to take tours paid for by pro-Israel lobby groups. CIJA has taken 73 members of Parliament from 4 parties on all expenses paid trips to Israel worth an estimated $12,000. But there are other funding options. CTIP is willing to help find financial assistance for any MP who is interested in taking a real fact finding trip. Encourage your MP to go and look for him/herself. They will find, like MP Heather McPherson “Reading about it is not the same as being there“.

Canada Talks Israel Palestine (CTIP) is the weekly newsletter of Peter Larson, Chair of the Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine (OFIP). It aims to promote a serious discussion in Canada about Canada’s response to the complicated and emotional Israel/Palestine issue with a focus on the truth, clear analysis and human rights for all. Readers with different points of view are invited to make comment.
Want to learn more about us? Go to Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine.ca