The undersigned are appalled by the recent deaths in Gaza. At least 110 Palestinians have been killed and thousands injured by sniper fire and noxious gas used by the Israeli military. The recent violence takes place alongside ongoing land theft, destruction of olive groves, construction of Jewish-only roads, imprisonment without due process and a blockade of Gaza. During its 70-year history, Israel has been as unjust towards Palestinians as the white-ruled apartheid state was to Black South Africans.

We are concerned that members of parliament would seek to strengthen relations with a country systematically violating Palestinian rights.

In particular, we are dismayed that NDP justice critic Murray Rankin and NDP defense critic Randall Garrison serve as executive members of the Canada-Israel Interparliamentary Group. NDP MPs Peter Julian and Gord Johns are also members of that organization. The Canada-Israel Interparliamentary Group promotes “greater friendship” between Canadian MPs and members of the Israeli Knesset and has organized events with other pro-Israel lobby organizations.

It is wholly inconsistent with the avowed principles of the NDP for the party to be working for “greater friendship” with a country that is killing and maiming thousands of overwhelmingly non-violent protestors, many of them children, while systematically violating international law and human rights standards with regard to all Palestinians.

Accordingly, we call on NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, MPs Garrison, Rankin, Julian, and Johns, and the parliamentary caucus to immediately disassociate themselves from the Canada-Israel Interparliamentary Group.

List of individuals and groups endorsing statement:

Roger Waters, co-founder Pink Floyd

Noam Chomsky, professor

Linda McQuaig, author, NDP candidate

Maher Arar, 2007 Time Magazine 100 most influential people in the world

Amir Khadir, Québec Solidaire, member National Assembly of Quebec

Sid Ryan, former president of the Ontario Federation of Labor, NDP member since 1981

Mike Palecek, President Canadian Union of Postal Workers

Chris Hedges, author

Steve Ashton, long-serving NDP member of the Manitoba legislature and cabinet minister

Monia Mazigh, academic, author and former NDP candidate

Jim Manly, former NDP MP 1980-88

Richard Falk, Professor of International Law, Emeritus, Princeton University

Norman Finkelstein, author

Antonia Zerbisias, CBC-TV and Toronto Star veteran journalist, NDP member

Medea Benjamin, co-founder CodePink

El Jones, activist, educator, journalist and poet

Gordon Laxer, Professor Emeritus University of Alberta, NDP member since 1963

Jean Swanson, author, Vancouver housing and poverty activist, NDP member

Murray Dobbin, journalist, broadcaster and author

Azeezah Kanji, (JD, LLM) legal analyst and writer

Stephen von Sychowski, President, Vancouver & District Labor Council

Mike Bocking, former Unifor Local 2000 president and federal NDP candidate in 2004, 2006 and 2008

Sheelah McLean, Co-founder of Idle No More, NDP member

Alain Deneault, author, Directeur de programme, Collège international de philosophie

Ramzy Baroud, editor Palestine Chronicle, author My Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gaza’s Untold Story

Sana Hassainia, former NDP MP

Will Prosper, filmmaker and civil rights activist

Charles Demers, writer/comedian, NDP member

Rob Lyons, Former NDP Member of Saskatchewan Legislature (Regina Rosemont)

Saron Gebresellassi, Human Rights Lawyer and Activist

Clayton Thomas-Müller Stop-it-at-the-Source Campaigner – 350.org, NDP member Manitoba

Leon Rosselson, Songwriter & children’s author

Cy Gonick, former Manitoba NDP MLA and founding editor of Canadian Dimension

Propagandhi: Jord Samolesky, Chris Hannah, Todd Kowalski and Sulynn Hago

Andrea Harden, climate justice organizer and NDP member

Sam Gindin, Retired, Unifor Research Director and Retired, Packer Chair in Social Justice, York

Trevor Herriot, author and naturalist

Harsha Walia, activist and writer

Sandy Hudson, activist and writer

Ellen Woodsworth, writer, organizer and former Vancouver City councilor

Judi Rever, author

Candace Savage, author of two-dozen books, NDP member

Aziz Fall, president Centre Internationaliste Ryerson Foundation Aubin

Corey Balsam, National Coordinator, Independent Jewish Voices Canada

Gary Porter, FCPA, FCGA, CA, executive member Saanich Gulf Islands, NDP EDA

Sibel Epi Ataoğul, Labor and human rights lawyer and lecturer at the University of Montreal, founding member of the Association des juristes progressistes, former NDP member

Terry Engler, President I.L.W.U. Local 400

Hossein Fazeli, writer and film director, winner of 37 awards

Martin Duckworth, documentary film-maker, winner of Le Prix du Québec 2015

Dara Culhane, Professor of Anthropology at Simon Fraser University, winner 2018 Weaver Tremblay award of the Canadian Association of Anthropology

Gary Kinsman, gay liberation and social justice activist, co-author of The Canadian War on Queers

Ernest Tate, former vice-president of CUPE, Local One

Jess MacKenzie, long-time NDP activist

Herman Rosenfeld, retired Canadian Auto Workers national staff person, former NDP member

Mohammad Fadel, Associate Professor of Law University of Toronto Faculty of Law

Chris Huxley, Professor Emeritus, Trent University, long-time NDP member

Charlene Gannage, Associate Professor Emerita, University of Windsor, long-time NDP member

Samir Gandesha, Associate Prof and Director of the Institute for the Humanities, SFU

Reem Bahdi, Associate Professor of Law

Faisal Kutty, Lawyer and Professor of Law

Natalie Zemon Davis, Professor of History

Tyler Shipley, Professor of Culture, Society and Commerce, Humber College

Joseph G. Debanné, former Chair of the Middle East Discussion Group

Yavar Hameed, Human Rights Lawyer, Former NDP Member

Robert Massoud, Beit Zatoun

Faisal Bhabha, Associate Professor Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, NDP Member

Emily Carasco, Professor Emeritus

Martin Lukacs, writer

Jason Woods, Vice-President I.L.W.U. Local 400

Leslie Miller, retired Sociology professor  at the University of Calgary, NDP supporter

Suzanne Weiss, Palestinian rights activist and Holocaust survivor

John Riddell, author and editor, NDP member

John Orrett, President Thornhill NDP Federal Riding Association

Richard Fidler, writer, translator, Ontario Bar

Maria Páez Victor Chair, Canadian, Latin American and Caribbean Policy Centre

Marion Pollack, retired Canadian Union of Postal Workers representative, NDP donor

Marv Gandall, former journalist and trade unionist

Yves Engler, author, NDP member

Art Young, Palestine solidarity activist, Canadian political prisoner, Quebec 1970

Andrea Glickman, NDP member, Vancouver

Nick Fillmore, news editor and producer with the CBC for more than 20 years

Conrad Alexandrowicz, theatre artist, scholar, instructor at University of Victoria, NDP member

Nadia Abu-Zahra, Associate Professor, University of Ottawa, NDP donor and long-time member

David Rifat, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto

Tim McCaskell, author, Queer Progress

Larry Hannant, writer, historian and NDP donor

Richard Sanders, researcher, writer, antiwar activist  

Cara-Lee Malange, peace activist

Larry Wartels, born Jewish, NDP Member Victoria BC

Randy Janzen, College Instructor:  Peace and Justice Studies

Fred Jones, former president Dawson Teachers’ Union, NDP member

Ali Mallah, Federal NDP Candidate Election 2000, Former Vice President Ontario NDP

Grahame Russell, director Rights Action

Peter Eglin, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, Wilfrid Laurier University, long-time NDP member

Michael A. Lebowitz, Professor Emeritus of Economics, Simon Fraser University

Hassan Husseini, labor negotiator and activist, Member of Unifor and Labor for Palestine

John Price, Professor of History, University of Victoria, longtime NDP supporter

Greg Albo, Department of Politics, York University, Centre for Social Justice

William S. Geimer, Professor of Law Emeritus, member of Vancouver Island Peace and Disarmament Network

Anthony Fenton, researcher Ph.D. Candidate at York U

Arnold August, author

Steve Heeren, Professor, Convener, Palestine Study Group

Katherine Nastovski, Associate – Institute on Globalization and the Human Condition, McMaster University and Labor for Palestine

Evert Hoogers, Labor researcher, retired CUPW National Union Representative

David Bernans, union leader, NDP candidate and current NDP member

Eva Manly, retired filmmaker, activist, lifelong NDP, now Green

Robert Mahood, Family Physician, member of NDP Socialist Caucus

Kevin Neish, Mavi Marmara massacre survivor

Sid Shniad, Research Director, Telecommunications Workers Union (retired), Member, national steering committee, Independent Jewish Voices Canada

Ken Hiebert, Palestine solidarity activist and retired trade unionist

Chris Cook, Managing Editor and Broadcaster Pacific Free Press/Gorilla Radio

Howard Breen, Executive Director of Urgent Climate and Ocean Rapid Response, Unifor 433

Tareq Ismael, professor

Kimball Cariou, editor of People’s Voice newspaper

Debbie Hubbard, Member of Amnesty International Kelowna, Palestine Study Group Vernon, NDP member

Mark Golden, professor emeritus of Classics, University of Winnipeg, longtime NDP donor and campaign worker

Kevin Skerrett, trade union researcher

Randy Caravaggio, Sculptor

Al Engler, retired trade unionist and long-time NDP member

Tsiporah Grignon, awakened citizen, Gabriola Island, BC

Mazin Qumsiyeh, director of the Palestine Museum of Natural History at the Palestine Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability at Bethlehem University

Lia Tarachansky, Israeli-Canadian journalist and documentary filmmaker

Charlotte Kates, International Coordinator, Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network

Walid Chahal, Continuing Lecturer, Lakehead University; co-chair Diversity Thunder Bay, former NDP member

Phil Little, retired teacher from Ontario Ladysmith, B.C.

Taina Maki Chahal, Contract Lecturer, Lakehead University, former NDP member

Karen Rodman, Reverend, NDP member

Morgan McGuigan, ESL Teacher

Jean Rands, retired trade unionist and long-time NDP member

Joan Russow, Global Compliance Research Project

Laura Westra, Professor Emerita (Philosophy)

Jason Kunin, Toronto teacher and writer

Henry Evans-Tenbrinke, Human Rights, Labor and Pro Palestine activist

Julius Arscott Executive Board Member of OPSEU and member of NDP Socialist Caucus

Ken Stone, Hamilton Mountain NDP member for 35 years

Ian Angus, editor Climate & Capitalism

Erika Shaker, Editor & Researcher

Amy Miller, documentary filmmaker, NDP member

Alroy Fonseca, Federal NDP member

Bob Chandler, COPE 343 member, Toronto Danforth NDP member

Paul Tetrault, Cupe Staff Lawyer (retired), longtime NDP member

Eva Bartlett, activist and independent journalist who lived three years in Gaza

DimitriLascaris, lawyer, journalist and activist, NDP member

Kevin MacKay, author, Professor at Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology, llaborand co-op activist

Reuben Roth, Associate Professor, Labor Studies Program at Laurentian University, NDP activist in Oshawa riding since 1984

Aminah Sheikh, union organizer, worked on numerous NDP campaigns

Eric Martin, professor of philosophy, Edouard-Montpetit CEGEP

Byron Rempel-Burkholder, member of Mennonite Church Manitoba working group on Palestine and Israel

Krishna Lalbiharie, Member Canada-Palestine Support Network, President St. Johns NDP Constituency (Manitoba)

Michael J. Carpenter, Postdoctoral fellow, University of Victoria

Mark Etkin, MD FRCPC

Ed Lehman, NDP member, Cupar, Saskatchewan

Bianca Mugyenyi, activist and author

Rana Bose, Engineer, author and playwright, NDP member NDG borough

Norman Nawrocki, Author, musician, actor, part-time faculty Concordia

Rachel Engler-Stringer, Associate Professor, Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, NDP member

Joe Emersberger, Unifor member, writer

David Weller, retired teacher and IJV member

Eric Shragge, retired professor

Gary Engler retired union officer with Unifor Local 2000 in Vancouver, NDP member

Monira Kitmitto, Canadian Palestinian activist and NDP member

David Kattenburg, science educator, web publisher and social activist

Stephen Ellis, lawyer and activist

Barry Weisleder, Chairperson NDP Socialist Caucus, delegate to most NDP federal and provincial conventions since 1971

David Heap, Associate Professor, UWO, human rights & peace advocate, NDP member

Avrum Rosner, Retired union president, son of Holocaust survivors, joined Manitoba NDP in 1969

Diane Field, Ph.D. Candidate at University of Calgary

David Lethbridge, professor of psychology, retired

Ray Zimmermann mariner captain

Sharon Hazelwood: political musician, long-time NDP activist

Chris Black, lawyer, former NDP member

Hani A. Faris, Ph.D. Professor of Political science

Freda Knott, Raging Granny, NDP member, Independent Jewish Voices Victoria

Cory Greenlees, Victoria Peace Coalition

SL Rifat, Neuroepidemiologist

Geneviève Nevin, organizer Independent Jewish Voices Canada-Victoria, NDP activist and member

Gavin Fridell, Canada Research Chair in International Development, NDP member

Justin Podur, Associate Professor, York University

Rana Abdulla, CPA Palestinian Activist and fights for what’s right Human Rights Award Recipient 2014

Georgina Kirkman, member of Independent Jewish Voicesand Amnesty International, Victoria

Mostafa Henaway, organizer at Immigrant Workers Centre

Bruce Katz, organizer Palestinian and Jewish Unity, former NDP member

Malcolm Guy, filmmaker, Montréal

Jooneed Khan, writer, journalist, Human rights activist, former NDP member

Annette Lengyel, Human rights and social justice advocate, NDP member Calgary Nose Hill

Theresa Wolfwood, Barnard-Boecker Centre Foundation

Dan Freeman-Maloy, postdoctoral fellow, Université du Québec à Montréal

Sheryl Nestel, Ph.D., NDP member

Alan Sears, Professor, Ryerson University

David Camfield, labor activist and educator

Freda Guttman, Artist/Activist, member of Tadamon

Virginia Daniel, Victoria Raging Granny, CAIA member, NDP member

Judith Deutsch, psychoanalyst

Ron Dart, Department of Political Science/Philosophy/Religious Studies University of the Fraser Valley

Susan Clarke, non-partisan peace activist, Sooke BC

Kevin MacKay, former Campaigns Officer at Ontario Public Service Employees Union

Dru Oja Jay, co-founder of the Media Co-op, Friends of Public Services and Courage

Edwin E. Daniel, WWII veteran, scientist and peace activist

Antonio Artuso, activist, translator and interpreter – Communist Reconstruction Canada

Derrick O’Keefe, Vancouver-based organizer and editor with Ricochet Media

Henry Veltmeyer, Professor Emeritus of Development Studies at Saint Mary’s University

Jerome Klassen, UMASS Boston, author of several books on Canadian foreign policy

Suha Jarrar, Policy Researcher at Al-Haq human rights organization in Ramallah, Palestine

Ismail Zayid M.D. President, Canada Palestine Association

William K. Carroll, Professor and Co-director of the Corporate Mapping Project Sociology Department University of Victoria

Mohammad Ali, the Socialist Vocalist, Artist

Yazan Khader, former member of Nova Scotia NDP Provincial Council

Andrew Mitrovica, writer and former executive assistant to NDP MPs Pauline Jewett and Simon de Jong

Groups:

Independent Jewish Voices Canada

Canada Palestine Support Network (CanPalNet)

Victoria Peace Coalition

NDP Socialist Caucus

Canadian BDS Coalition

Palestinian and Jewish Unity

Toronto BDS Action

United for Palestine Toronto/GTA

People For Peace London, Ontario

Socialist Action / Ligue pour l’Action socialiste

Palestine Solidarity Network – Edmonton

Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid Victoria

Mid-Islanders for Justice and Peace in the Middle East

Barnard-Boecker Centre Foundation

Canada Palestine Association

Canadian Peace Congress