Thank you for writing to me with your concerns about human rights as it relates to Israel and Palestine.
 
New Democrats believe Canada must do far more to work towards peace in Israel and Palestine. The Liberal government’s record on this issue is more than disappointing: it flies in the face of their claim to stand up for human rights and international law.  
 
New Democrats believe in working with partners for peace in Israel and Palestine; respecting UN resolutions and international law; supporting peaceful co-existence in viable, independent states with agreed-upon borders; an end to Israeli occupation of Palestinian land; and an end to violence targeting civilians.  
 
We believe Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories is at the centre of the challenges facing the Palestinian and Israeli people. There will be no long-term solution to the protracted conflict until the 55-year occupation ends. We condemn all violence against Israeli and Palestinian civilians, including acts of terror, as well as all acts of provocation, incitement, and destruction. We all want to see a future where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side, in peace. 
 
Canada needs to play a more productive role in working towards its stated commitment to a two-state solution. For years, successive Liberal and Conservative governments have done more to support the status quo than to make any tangible contributions towards peace and security in the region. Canada can help to create the conditions for lasting peace - but by failing to call out Israel for breaching international law and violating the human rights of the Palestinian people, Canada is contributing to the problem.  
 
In recent months, reports from Amnesty International and the United Nations have underscored the urgency of this issue. Moreover, the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and threats to the villages of Masafer Yattah show that the situation continues to deteriorate. New Democrats have repeatedly called on Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly to end Canada’s silence on these issues. But Canada’s government has ignored the asymmetric nature of this conflict. Canada must stop perpetuating a double-standard where it calls out human rights abuses by some and not by others.
 
New Democrats are asking the Liberal government to: 

• respond to reports from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Israeli human rights NGOs and the United Nations and accept their recommendations to states 
• refer the killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh to the International Criminal Court 
• increase pressure on the Israeli government to stop its plan to annex Palestinian territory in violation of international law 
• condemn the construction of illegal settlements, demolitions of Palestinian homes in the West Bank, and evictions from East Jerusalem, including Sheikh Jarrah 
• call on Israel to end forcible displacement of villagers in Masafer Yatta  
• increase funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) which supports Palestinian refugees 
• condemn Israel’s undemocratic nation-state law 
• condemn the Israeli government’s attacks on civil society in Israel and Palestine, including the recent designation of six Palestinian human rights groups as “terrorist” 
• condemn the ongoing blockade of Gaza and increase Canadian humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza  
• condemn military detention of Palestinian children, and reaffirm support for the Convention on the Rights of the Child  
• vote for Palestinian human rights at the United Nations 
• end all trade and economic cooperation with illegal settlements in Israel-Palestine 
• suspend the bilateral trade of all arms and related materials with the State of Israel until Palestinian rights are upheld 

It is time for Canada to show the principled commitment required to help bring an end to the occupation. New Democrats will continue to push the Liberal government to stand up for human rights and international law.  
 
Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns with me.  
 
Best regards,
 
Jagmeet Singh, M.P. (Burnaby South)
Leader, Canada’s New Democrats