Israel’s decision to ban 30 Canadians, including six sitting MPs, from entering the West Bank on Tuesday was allegedly because of ties of the organizing group to a proscribed terror group.
On Tuesday, a delegation organized by The Canadian-Muslim Vote attempted to enter via the Allenby crossing with Jordan but was rejected and sent back.
The Israeli embassy in Ottawa told the Toronto Star that The Canadian-Muslim Vote receives the “vast majority” of its funding from Islamic Relief Canada, which is a subsidiary of Islamic Relief Worldwide, a listed terror organization in Israel.
“The State of Israel will not allow the entry of organizations and individuals who are associated with designated terror entities,” the embassy spokesperson told the Toronto Star.
Islamic Relief Worldwide is not banned in Canada, but it has been banned in Israel since 2014 after the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), the Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories, and legal authorities reported that it solicits donations for Hamas. The US State Department also cut ties with IRW in 2021 due to allegations of spreading antisemitism.
This raise questions about why the group was given travel authorization in the first place if this is the case. MP Jenny Kwan, who was present on the trip, told AFP that “electronic travel authorizations to enter the West Bank were initially approved,” but on arrival “the entire delegation was denied entry to the West Bank.”
MP reports assault by border agents
One of the six MPs claimed that she was violently assaulted by border agents.
“An Israeli officer came up to me, to my face, and started yelling, telling me to go away,” said Iqra Khalid, Liberal MP for Mississauga.
She continued, saying he shoved her into a wall, after which she told him not to touch her. According to Khalid, the officer replied, “I will touch you as much as I want,” and then shoved her again.
“I got pushed with enough force that I almost fell backward,” she said. “I got caught by a delegate, and a couple more delegates came and took me away before the situation escalated further.”
The Israeli embassy in Ottawa told the Toronto Star that it was investigating the matter and that “Israel is committed to treating all visitors with the utmost respect.”
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand expressed concern on social media about “the mistreatment of these Canadians while attempting to cross.”