Canadian Policymakers Must Introduce Legislation Similar to US Bill Preventing Taxpayer Contribution to Israeli Apartheid
July 8th, 2023
Justice For All Canada expresses appreciation for introducing the Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act, also known as H.R. 3103, by U.S. Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN) on May 5th, 2023.
Canadian policymakers must follow the example set by Rep. McCollum by introducing legislation prohibiting Canadian taxpayer funds from supporting Israeli human rights abuses and violations in the Occupied Palestinian territories. The US legislation aims to hold Israeli authorities accountable for their ongoing grave human rights abuses, such as the military detention and ill-treatment of Palestinian children, the seizure and destruction of Palestinian property, and the violation of international humanitarian law through unilateral annexation.
The bill establishes annual certification and reporting obligations on the Secretary of State, including the requirement for oversight reporting on the Israeli government's crimes against humanity. Currently, there are numerous documented ways that Canadian taxpayer money is used to support the Israeli occupation and apartheid against Palestine. One prominent example is tax-deductible donations.
Canadian charities have raised over a quarter billion dollars for Israel-focused projects, some of which even violate Canadian charity law. Taxpayer money contributes to expanding Jewish housing development in occupied territories, isolating Arab neighbourhoods and making it difficult to establish a Palestinian state with contiguous borders. According to writer and activist Yves Engler, since 1967, around $1.7 billion in Canadian public support has been directed to Israel, with about 30 percent of the total subsidized by taxpayers.
“A Canadian version of this bill would set a powerful precedent in advocating for the rights of Palestinian children and families living under Israeli military occupation. Such a policy would also be a vital step toward transparency and accountability for Palestinian victims of crimes against humanity,” said Taha Ghayyur, Executive Director of Justice For All Canada.
We call on Canadian policymakers to demonstrate their international humanitarian obligations by questioning how the Canadian government contributes to the dismal rights of Palestinian children and their families. We urge Minister of Foreign Affairs, Melanie Joly, to support the introduction of legislation that would ban Canadian taxpayer funds from supporting the Israeli apartheid and Israeli state atrocities against Palestinians.
Justice For All Canada expresses appreciation for introducing the Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act, also known as H.R. 3103, by U.S. Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN) on May 5th, 2023.
Canadian policymakers must follow the example set by Rep. McCollum by introducing legislation prohibiting Canadian taxpayer funds from supporting Israeli human rights abuses and violations in the Occupied Palestinian territories. The US legislation aims to hold Israeli authorities accountable for their ongoing grave human rights abuses, such as the military detention and ill-treatment of Palestinian children, the seizure and destruction of Palestinian property, and the violation of international humanitarian law through unilateral annexation.
The bill establishes annual certification and reporting obligations on the Secretary of State, including the requirement for oversight reporting on the Israeli government's crimes against humanity. Currently, there are numerous documented ways that Canadian taxpayer money is used to support the Israeli occupation and apartheid against Palestine. One prominent example is tax-deductible donations.
Canadian charities have raised over a quarter billion dollars for Israel-focused projects, some of which even violate Canadian charity law. Taxpayer money contributes to expanding Jewish housing development in occupied territories, isolating Arab neighbourhoods and making it difficult to establish a Palestinian state with contiguous borders. According to writer and activist Yves Engler, since 1967, around $1.7 billion in Canadian public support has been directed to Israel, with about 30 percent of the total subsidized by taxpayers.
“A Canadian version of this bill would set a powerful precedent in advocating for the rights of Palestinian children and families living under Israeli military occupation. Such a policy would also be a vital step toward transparency and accountability for Palestinian victims of crimes against humanity,” said Taha Ghayyur, Executive Director of Justice For All Canada.
We call on Canadian policymakers to demonstrate their international humanitarian obligations by questioning how the Canadian government contributes to the dismal rights of Palestinian children and their families. We urge Minister of Foreign Affairs, Melanie Joly, to support the introduction of legislation that would ban Canadian taxpayer funds from supporting the Israeli apartheid and Israeli state atrocities against Palestinians.