Most importantly, Canadian Members of Parliament (MPs) risked persecution if they attempted to enter the occupied West Bank. Israel refused them entry, alleging a security threat. The delegation, consisting of 30 members, including civil society leaders, aimed to meet with Palestinian community representatives and Jewish families affected by the ongoing conflict.
The Israeli military coordinating agency COGAT stated that the Canadian MPs arrived without coordination. So, they barred them from attending. In response, COGAT wrote that security considerations were the basis for barring the members of the group. This latter claim has sparked almost indignant debate and hostility from up in Canada.
Delegation’s Objectives and Planned Meetings
The Canadian MPs’ mission was a truth and reconciliation fact-finding mission. Jenny Kwan, one of the MPs in the group, expressed the importance of understanding the daily realities faced by Palestinians living under occupation. Their goal was to bring back firsthand information by immersing themselves in local communities to understand the struggles they face.
Beyond that, the purpose of the delegation was to engage with families who are Jewish including families hit hardest by the ongoing conflict. Kwan emphasized that these kinds of interactions are extremely important in building mutual understanding and contributing to humanitarian efforts.
“If we as members of parliament could face denial of entry, imagine what is going on on the ground with other people, and the difficulties that they face, that we do not know about.” – Jenny Kwan
Incidents at the Border
Kwan stated that Israeli border officials had “manhandled” one of the other female MPs in the delegation. This sparked even further tensions when during their attempt to cross into the West Bank, Kwan detailed that the MP was “shoved – not once, not twice, but multiple times” by the agents.
Kwan was dismayed to witness foreign physicians being turned around at the King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge border crossing. Physicians attempting to bring medical supplies and baby formula into the West Bank were barred from entering. This lack of action exacerbated fears for humanitarian access.
“How is it that civil society organizations who are doing humanitarian work… are a security concern?” – Jenny Kwan
Criticism and Response from Canadian Officials
The discriminatory actions of Israeli authorities were met with extreme opposition from Kwan and the rest of the delegation. Kwan strongly condemned Israel’s reason for blocking entry as a misappropriation of public safety. She challenged the notion that elected officials and humanitarian workers were a threat to security.
In a statement on Twitter, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand confirmed that her ministry had been in contact with the delegation for the duration of their ordeal. Yet she has remained silent on this Israel denial. She called Canada’s commitment to encouraging discussion and open communication on the ground deep, broad and ongoing.
Kwan speculated on whether it was Canada’s own recognition of an independent Palestinian state that prompted Israel to prevent their entry. She emphasized the need to see the realities on the ground, warning that without this in-person experience, disinformation would continue.
“I reject the notion that that is a public safety concern.” – Jenny Kwan
