(Ottawa) Federal MPs returning from a visit to the West Bank say Canada must do more to curb the escalation of tensions between Palestinians and Israelis.
Three New Democratic MPs and two Liberal MPs spent the past week meeting with Palestinian refugees in Jordan, as well as the West Bank and East Jerusalem, as guests of Muslim advocacy groups.
Liberal MP Shafqat Ali saw deep divisions in how Israelis and Palestinians are treated, as he witnessed tense exchanges and conditions he called “constant humiliation” of Palestinians.
For her part, NDP MP Lindsay Mathyssen was struck by her meeting with Palestinian students at an elementary school who deplored the fact that they were being taught human rights, something the students claimed to not know.
Israel says its treatment of Palestinians in the occupied territories is aimed at ensuring security for all. The country rebuffed calls from both lawmakers for a ceasefire to end the current war in Gaza, saying it would only allow Hamas to launch more deadly attacks.
Last November, Canadian Jewish organizations sponsored a visit to Israel by Liberal and Conservative MPs so they could witness the lasting impact of the initial Hamas attack in October that sparked the current war.