On Tuesday, Israeli authorities prevented six Canadian Members of Parliament, arriving from Jordan, from entering the occupied West Bank, accusing the delegation of undertaking their trip under the auspices of a “terrorist entity.”
اضافة اعلان
Jenny Kwan, a left-leaning opposition MP from Canada’s New Democratic Party, said that Liberal MP Iqra Khalid, whose party is led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, was “repeatedly pushed” by a member of the Israeli border guards.
The Canadian politicians were on a trip sponsored by the charitable organization Canadian-Muslim Vote.
In a statement, Israel’s embassy in Canada said that the organization receives funding from the Islamic Relief Canada, which is a branch of the global Islamic Relief organization, classified by Israel as a “terrorist entity.”
The Islamic Relief organization has consistently denied Israel’s accusation of being a terrorist group affiliated with Hamas.
Kwan explained that the delegation had informed Israeli authorities in advance about their itinerary, which included meetings with relief organizations and leaders from both the Palestinian and Jewish civil society.
She noted in a statement: “The Government of Canada officially notified the Government of Israel before the delegation’s trip,” adding that “initial approval was granted for electronic travel permits to enter the West Bank.” However, upon arrival at the Allenby Bridge crossing on Tuesday, the entire delegation was denied entry.
Kwan also said that before leaving Canada, the delegation had considered the possibility of facing difficulties due to Carney’s decision to recognize the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, meanwhile, expressed on social media that Ottawa “objects to the mistreatment of these Canadians.”
— (Agencies)
