(Where have they been the past 30 years?)
With the support of Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK, Canada has found the courage to “confirm their intention to introduce national and/or support European restrictions on trade in goods with settlements which are illegal under international law, or that they are actively considering these and other measures, in accordance with their national procedures.”
Wow. So bold. So decisive. I'm sure it'll be effective.
I saw it online and couldn't restrain myself from snarking off on Bluesky:
Violent settlers have been rampaging through the West Bank, destroying trees, home and killing people or months (years in fact), all with tacit or even active approval from the military. it is long past time for an "intention to introduce...restrictions on trade in goods."
Anything less than peacekeepers on the ground standing between defenseless Palestinians and murderous Israelis (protecting the former, in case that's not clear) is words written on toilet paper.
PS 10s of thousands of Palestinians have been murdered over the past two years, more 10s of thousands permanently maimed while deaths continue to mount daily despite a supposed ceasefire and you still have to condemn Oct 7 even though you still haven't used the word genocide?
And of course, there was a letter to write and send, which I added some of my own spice to. Can you find my paragraphs? ;)
While I welcome the announcement that Canada, along with France and the UK, will "ban the importation of goods from settlements and enforce targeted measures against settlements and those who facilitate them or profit from them", this is not nearly enough.
This is what you should done years ago -- even before October 8. Settler violence has been at unacceptable levels for more than a decade. In a precious, semi-arid ecosystem, how spiteful and self-destructive do you have to be to uproot or otherwise destroy ancient olive trees that provide the very oil you pour over your food?
All you're going to do, now that these attacks are carried out in increasingly murderous fashion, is levy a few sanctions on locally grown food?
We know many goods are being imported to Canada from illegal settlements. We also know there are many other avenues in which Canada is aiding and assisting Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise (in violation of Canadian and international law). While the statement says Canada will "enforce targeted measures against settlements and those who facilitate them or profit from them", I would like to note that this must include more than just goods.
The framing of the statement positions the "systematic settlement expansion" as an external issue. In reality, the Canadian government, and many businesses and charities are all actively facilitating the maintenance and expansion of illegal settlements. This includes support through:
- Import and export of goods
- Investments
- Services, including strategic and military support
- Arms transfers
- Charitable tax breaks
- Allowing Canadian companies to operate in illegal settlements (e.g., Aldo)
- Allowing the sale of Palestinian land in Canada
Stop it. Stop all of it. Now.
Banning settlement goods is one step, but it is just that. We need more, urgently. The Palestinian people cannot wait.
The Canadian government must end all support of Israel's illegal settlement enterprise. This includes comprehensive sanctions which ban: the import or export of goods to illegal settlements (e.g., wine and medjoul dates), investments in companies participating in any activities in illegal settlements (e.g., CPP, PSPIB), two-way arms embargo to end support for the illegal military occupation, revoke charitable status of any organizations supporting illegal settlements and/or the Israeli military.
Not only are Israeli settlements illegal under international law, they are also illegal under Canadian law through the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act and Geneva Conventions Act.
Therefore, Canada is not only responsible for its complicity under international law, but also under Canadian law itself. Further, Canada has an obligation to ensure that violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention do not occur under any circumstance. When Canada or other signatories fail to do so, they themselves are complicit with war crimes.
End CIFTA. Stop the importation of all products procured, produced, or maintained in any part through illegal settlements. Sanction ISRAEL now.
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