Category: CPA Statements

Open letters and statements to the public from the Canada Palestine Association.

Is B’nai Brith the new Media Rep for Global Affairs Canada?

On Feb. 11, B’nai Brith Canada issued a statement declaring that Canada had rejected the new Amnesty Int’l report. The statement noted the following: “We are aware of the recent Amnesty Report. Canada rejects the view that Israel’s actions constitute apartheid,” said a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada.

Canadian Jewish News CJN also carried the story and elaborated: “James Wanki, spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, dismissed the report’s claim in a brief statement Feb. 10.

“Canada is a steadfast ally of Israel and a friend of the Palestinian people,” he wrote. “Canada rejects the view that Israel’s actions constitute apartheid.”

 Curiously, an online search for any confirmation of this statement turned up empty; no mention of it on Global Affairs Canada website, FB or twitter account. Perhaps it was in a TikTok video?

A closer reading of the B’nai Brith release seemed to indicate that this new Canadian position was relayed verbally (“said a spokesperson”), without detailing when or under what circumstances, while CJN said it came in written form (“he wrote”). So how was this information communicated? Was it in a closed meeting? Is there any written official statement?

The only other reference to this was from Liberal MP Anthony Housefather, who reposted the B’nai Brith statement on FB, claiming that “Canada rejects the Amnesty report and we emphatically reject the ridiculous claim that Israeli is an apartheid state”. (MP Housefather is the chair of the Canada-Israel Interparliamentary Group). B’nai Brith then rushed to retweet Housefather’s repost of their orginial statement.

Canada Palestine Association has contacted Global Affairs for clarification. It would not be surprising if Canada has taken such a position; Marc Garneau was very clear on June 11, 2021, when he responded in the House of Commons to Human Rights Watch report on Israeli Apartheid:
“… the position of the Liberal Government is extremely clear on the question of the Apartheid label, we reject it categorically. It is not part of our approach with respect to Israel or the Jewish community…”

However, it is bizarre that a Global Affairs Canada position statement would be released in such a dubious manner. Are we to conclude that B’nai Brith Canada has a new job as Media Relations for Global Affairs Canada, in addition to their media advocacy for apartheid Israel?

Write letter HERE to Canadian government: You can’t keep the lid on Israeli war crimes forever!

Vancouver, Victoria take to the streets for #BoycottIsraeliWines Day of Action

The Day of Action to Boycott Israeli Wines, Don’t Drink with Apartheid on Feb. 5 featured pickets in two major BC cities as well as solidarity selfies from other parts of Canada. This was just the latest round of protests in a campaign that has been ongoing since 2008, and has been “punching above its weight” since its inception.

Since Israeli wines first came on the shelves in BC’s publicly-owned liquor stores, dedicated local activists have carried the Boycott Israeli Wines, Don’t Drink with Apartheid theme forward. A theme that reflects an organic link with the struggle against South African apartheid, as their supporters stood outside some of the exact same stores many years ago calling for a boycott of S. African wines.

The campaign has faced relentless attacks from the Zionist lobby since 2008, with smear attacks and trolling on social media to the tawdry Buycott calls, and even outright intimidation and threats especially in 2016. Through all of this, the campaign has never wavered, and re-emerges with new determination to keep protesting until the BC (and Canadian) government stop profiteering off Israeli war crimes and apartheid.

Victoria Picket Feb. 5, Organized by CAIA Victoria
Vancouver picket
Picket outside Victoria liquor store.
Vancouver out to say #BoycottIsraeli Wines #EndIsraeliApartheid
Victoria Picket
Vancouver Picket, Feb. 5
Collage of photo highlights.


Report from Samidoun, one of the groups who cosponsored and participated in the Day of Action: Boycott Israeli Wines! Spirited Vancouver protest calls on public stores to stop selling apartheid products | Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network

NDP: Your Credibility is on the Line

The following open letter was sent today to Heather McPherson, NDP Foreign Affairs Critic and cc’d to NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and BC Premier John Horgan.

Dear Ms. McPherson: 

On December 22, 2021, you issued a statement marking the fifth anniversary of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334. As you correctly noted in your statement, that resolution is “binding under international law”, and called for “States to distinguish between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967”. 

You went on to state that “New Democrats also urge Canada to end all trade and economic cooperation with illegal settlements in Israel-Palestine.” 

Your statement echoed earlier ones from the NDP on this subject of trade with the illegal Israeli settlements. Although such words are commendable, it would be profoundly more impactful if they were backed up with action. Action in areas where the NDP has influence, for example in BC where the NDP government is in power and could take a stand to remove the illicit Israeli settlement wines being carried in publicly owned BC liquor stores. 

For almost 14 years, I have been one of many human rights activists in BC that have been campaigning to have successive provincial governments called to task on this issue. We have picketed, we have sent letters, we have done petitions, we have promoted educational sessions; our social media posts highlighting our actions have reached tens of thousands of people. Some of the activists on our pickets were people who stood in front of the exact same liquor stores years ago and called for the boycott of South African apartheid wines. They were an embodiment of the links that bind all oppressed peoples everywhere. 

When the NDP took power in the BC legislature in 2017, we were hopeful that there would be a change in policy on stocking these products of war crimes in BC stores. We were disappointed. When the NDP convention in April 2021 passed their resolution committing to end “all trade and economic cooperation with illegal settlements in Israel-Palestine”, it looked encouraging. How could such strong words, such a clear commitment passed by a large majority, not be followed by action to implement one of the most clear-cut cases of illegal settlement trade in Canada. But again, at least to date, we have been disappointed. 

A new statement issued last month by over 25 organizations laid out the basic facts:
The Israeli wines carried in BC stores have consistently been linked to the Israeli settlement enterprise. The wines in question are either from the Golan Heights Winery and its joint venture the Galil Winery; or from the Israeli Teperberg Winery, which proudly displays a map on its website showing vineyards in occupied Palestinian territory. According to the progressive Israeli research group “Who Profits”, Teperberg Winery “owns and sources from vineyards in the occupied West Bank, including in the Ezion Bloc settlement and in Mevo Horon.” 

And concluded:
Human rights violations are not a valid “consumer choice” – but they are the choice being made every day by the BC Liquor Distribution Branch …The current BC government has recently shown its disregard for the rights of indigenous people, with its violent raids on Wet’suwet’en territory. They need to make a change and respect international law rather than violating it.
From Turtle Island to Palestine, profiting off colonization is a crime! 

We call on you, as the NDP Foreign Affairs Critic, to make this issue a priority. Enough has been said, the time is now for concrete steps to show that profiteering off war crimes is unacceptable. In August 2019, a NDP statement regarding the labelling of these illegal Israeli settlement wines concluded: “The NDP will always stand up for what is right, even when others don’t have the courage to do it.” 

Where is that courage now to do what is right? Your party’s credibility is on the line.

Sincerely, 

Marion Kawas
Member, Canada Palestine Association-Vancouver 

CPA 2021 Year in Review

2021 was a busy year for both Canada Palestine Association and BDS Vancouver, as the solidarity movement with Palestine grew in both depth and reach. The diverse base of support and unity for Palestinian rights was evidenced by the thousands of people who took to the streets in Vancouver in May/June to demand accountability from Israel and an end to Canadian complicity in Israeli war crimes. The theme of Canadian complicity ran through many of our 2021 campaigns, from demanding No Criminalization of Palestinian Advocacy by the Canadian government to exposing CBC’s outrageous “language guide” that censors the word Palestine to participating in the #IVotePalestine campaign holding Canadian politicians to account. Prisoner support and Boycott Israel actions were also a big part of our activities; boycott campaigns included Block the Boat rallies against the Israeli Zim shipping line, #BoycottPuma pickets and our signature Boycott Israeli Wines-Don’t Drink with Apartheid that has been calling out the BC government for over a decade on its war crimes profiteering.

We are strong believers in the principles of grassroots organizing and international solidarity, and 2021 showed that groups relying on activism are the heart and soul of the Palestinian solidarity movement. Together we march towards return and liberation!

Events and Campaigns:

  1. Free Mohammed El-Halabi!
    February 28, 2021 Twitter Storm
    #Justice4ElHalabi Social media action day #2 March 14, 2021
  2. Boycott TEVA, Defend the Right to Boycott
    March 25, 2021
  3. Tell Canadian Officials: Advocacy for Palestine is not ‘Terrorism’
    April 5, 2021
  4. Nakba73: Flash Picket for Palestine
    May 15, 2021
    Vancouver comes out for Palestine in massive rally!
    May 16, 2021
  5. Join us again to Stand with Palestine
    Vigil/Rally to be followed by March
    May 22, 2021
  6. Join us again to Stand with Palestine
    Car Rally
    May 24, 2021
  7. Block the Boat Vancouver
    June 8, 2021
  8. Vancouver Day of Rage: Defend Jerusalem
    June 15, 2021
  9. SAVE SILWAN: VANCOUVER
    July 3, 2021
  10. Boycott Tour, July 18, Vancouver
    July 18, 2021
  11. Palestine Solidarity: An Inter-Generational Dialogue
    August 3, 2021
  12. Aug. 14 Webinar: Canada’s Complicity in Palestinian Dispossession
    Canada’s Complicity in Palestinian Dispossession
    August 16, 2021
  13. #IVotePalestine
    August 28, 2021
  14. #BoycottPuma Picket in Vancouver
    September 17, 2021
  15. Write letter: Canadians calling on Puma to end its sponsorship of the Israel Football Association
    September 18, 2021
  16. Palestine Action Week in Vancouver
    Boycott Tour and March
    October, 6, 2021
  17. Free Georges Abdallah! Free Palestine Protest in Vancouver!
    October 16, 2021
  18. Boycott Israeli Wines: New Article and Video
    November 8, 2021
    Vancouver Calendar of Events: AllOut4Palestine:
  19. New Art Exhibit on Gaza coming to Vancouver
    November 24 – 27, 2021
  20. International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
    November 29, 2021
  21. Asian Labour: Local and Global Solidarity Building
    Dec.1, 2021
  22. Film showing of Fedayin: Georges Abdallah, postponed.
    UBC postpones film showing due to Zionist meddling
    December 2nd, 2021
  23. Liberation Cafe: Freedom for our Prisoners
    We Stand Together
    December 5, 2021
  24. International Day for Human Rights Action
    Dec. 10, 2021

CPA Statements:

  1. CBC still mulling over its anti-Palestinian bias
    January 6, 2021
  2. Anti-Arab racism has deep roots in Canada/Le racisme anti-arabe a des racines profondes au Canada
    January 16, 2021
  3. Indigenous activist Lee Maracle on CBC erasure of Palestine
    by: Lee Maracle, January 26
  4. Canada’s Hypocrisy on the ICC and Palestine
    February 9, 2021
  5. Canadian complicity: Is ICC serving justice or Western interests?
    February 16, 2021
  6. CBC Ombudsman says apology “unwise”, but anti-Palestinian language guide is “reasonable”
    March 8, 2021
  7. Political Advocacy and National Liberation are not “Terrorism”
    March 22, 2021
  8. #NoIHRA and the Hypocrisy of the Zionist Lobby
    April 13, 2021
  9. Open Letter : Time to respect NDP Policy, Don’t make B.C. complicit in Israeli war crimes!
    April 19, 2021
  10. Letter to Transport Minister Omar Alghabra: Israeli Apartheid Not Welcome in Canadian Ports #BlocktheBoat
    June 15, 2021
  11. In Memory of Betty Beeching
    August 12, 2021
  12. Canadian company financing Israel-UAE collaboration
    October 3, 2021
  13. In Memory of Lee Maracle
    November 11, 2021
  14. UAE Normalizing with Israeli War Crimes
    November 18, 2021
  15. In Solidarity with Indigenous Land Defenders
    November 20, 2021
  16. Don’t make us complicit in war crimes!
    December 13, 2021

Articles:

  1. CBC still reviewing why it deleted the word ‘Palestine’
    Mondoweiss, January 8, 2021
  2. Canada’s hypocrisy serves to shield Israeli war crimes
    Mondoweiss, February 11, 2021
  3. ‘Do not refer to Palestine or show a map with Palestine as a country’ — the CBC’s Orwellian rules
    Mondoweiss, March, 9, 2021
  4. Palestinian advocacy is not ‘terrorism’
    Mondoweiss, March, 23, 2021
  5. The fight continues after Israel lobby staves off IHRA debate at NDP convention
    Mondoweiss, April 14, 2021
  6. Continuing Nakba, continuing resistance
    Mondoweiss, May 20, 2021
  7. Message to Trudeau government: Honor human rights — block Zim from Canadian ports
    Mondoweiss, June 18, 2021
  8. UAE company cracks down on ‘Block the Boat’ picket line in Canada
    Mondoweiss, June 28, 2021
  9. Boycott beyond the Settlements!
    Mondoweiss, July 29, 2021
  10. Canadian Complicity in Israeli War Crimes: Electoral Politics
    Al Mayadeen English, September 7, 2021
  11. Canadian company financing Israel-UAE collaboration
    Mondoweiss, October 1, 2021
  12. Don’t Drink with Apartheid: From South Africa to Palestine!
    Al Mayadeen English, November 6, 2021
  13. UAE profiteering off Israeli war crimes
    Mondoweiss, November 17, 2021

Interviews & Webinars:

Social Media:

CPA Facebook pages:
(all likes are generated organically; on principle, we refuse to pay FB for ads or for posts promotions)

CPA Facebook groups:

Don’t make us complicit in war crimes!

BC Government: Stop Profiting off Israeli War Crimes

The British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch is complicit in violations of Palestinian human rights. Despite calls from multiple local organizations for a boycott of Israeli wines, many produced in occupied Palestinian and Syrian territories in the West Bank and the Golan Heights, they continue to be sold in publicly owned BC Liquor Stores. Repeated appeals to the provincial cabinet ministers responsible for the Liquor Distribution Branch have seen no action and little response.

The Israeli wines carried in BC stores have consistently been linked to the Israeli settlement enterprise. The wines in question are either from the Golan Heights Winery and its joint venture the Galil Winery; or from the Israeli Teperberg Winery, which proudly displays a map on its website showing vineyards in occupied Palestinian territory. According to the progressive Israeli research group “Who Profits”, Teperberg Winery “owns and sources from vineyards in the occupied West Bank, including in the Ezion Bloc settlement and in Mevo Horon.”

Israeli settlements are illegal under the Fourth Geneva Convention and international humanitarian law. They are part and parcel of the systematic targeting of the Palestinian people for dispossession, occupation and apartheid for over 73 years. Consecutive BC governments have also been aiding and abetting the pillage of Palestinian and Arab property and resources, expressly forbidden in Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Earlier this year, the New Democratic Party NDP of Canada passed a resolution that committed in part to end “all trade and economic cooperation with illegal settlements in Israel-Palestine”. As noted in our April 19, 2021 letter to the Finance Minister in BC’s NDP provincial government (which has received no response to date):
“The sale of wines from illegal Israeli settlements in BC and Canadian liquor stores has been an ongoing travesty for over a decade; there is no better place for the NDP to implement its new policy (and for)… action to finally be taken on this issue. In September 2018, thirty-one organizations already told the BC government: ‘We do not wish to be made complicit in these violations of international law’.“

Human rights violations are not a valid “consumer choice” – but they are the choice being made every day by the BC Liquor Distribution Branch. These are our publicly funded stores and should reflect a commitment to human rights, including justice for the Palestinian people.

We are calling on B.C. Finance Minister Selina Robinson and the Liquor Distribution Branch to immediately halt this complicity in Israeli war crimes.  The current BC government has recently shown its disregard for the rights of indigenous people, with its violent raids on Wet’suwet’en territory. They need to make a change and respect international law rather than violating it.

From Turtle Island to Palestine, profiting off colonization is a crime!

Signed by:
BDS Vancouver-Coast Salish Territories
Canada Palestine Association

Endorsed by:
Association of Palestinian Students UTM
Barnard-Boecker Centre Foundation of Victoria
Canadian BDS Coalition
Canada-Philippines Solidarity for Human Rights
Coalition against Israeli Apartheid Victoria
Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle – CST
Greater Toronto 4 BDS
Human Rights for All HR4A, Saskatchewan
Independent Jewish Voices Vancouver
Justice for Palestinians, Calgary
Niagara Movement for Justice in Palestine Israel
Oakville Palestinian Rights Association OPRA
PCCC-Palestine House
Palestine Solidarity, St. John’s
Palestinian And Jewish Unity
Palestinian Youth Movement Vancouver
Peace Alliance Winnipeg
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
SANSAD South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy
Socialist Action
Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights UBC
Students Against Israeli Apartheid – U of T
Sulong UBC
Vancouver & District Labour Council
Vancouver Peace Council
Victoria Friends of Cuba
West Coast Coalition Against Racism Society

(Group endorsements can be sent to cpavancouver@gmail.com; we will be updating the endorsers list on a regular basis. Please join us in saying: From Turtle Island to Palestine, Profiting off Colonization is a Crime!)