Six Canadian MPs were denied entry to the West Bank on Tuesday by Israeli authorities, prompting Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand to publicly voice her disapproval of their treatment.
The NDP and Liberal MPs, part of a delegation of about 30 Canadians on a fact-finding visit, were prevented from entering the West Bank at the Israeli border crossing with Jordan.
Ottawa had given Israeli officials prior notification of the visit, and the MPs’ electronic travel authorizations had been approved, according to Jenny Kwan, an NDP MP who was part of the visiting group.
Ms. Anand said Canada has raised its objections with Israel about the treatment of the group.
“These are parliamentarians who were simply seeking to visit in a professional way, and my understanding is that denying their entry, with that objective in mind, is not in keeping with the bilateral relationship that we have shared with Israel over the course of a number of decades,” she said in an interview.
Ms. Kwan issued a statement saying: “Electronic travel authorizations to enter the West Bank were initially approved but were subsequently revoked on the day of our arrival. Israeli authorities cited ‘public security, public safety, or public order considerations’ as the basis for the denial.”
She said that during the trip to Jordan there had been meetings with Palestinians as well as the Canadian ambassador there. The delegation also met families living in refugee camps and with organizations delivering humanitarian assistance.
“I categorically reject the assertion that elected officials and civil society organizations engaging in humanitarian and fact-finding work pose any risk to public safety, security, or public order,” she added.
Ms. Kwan said the trip was organized to deepen delegates’ understanding by speaking to Muslim, Jewish and Christian families about their experiences.
“The use of security and public order narratives to limit legitimate fact-finding work is completely unacceptable,” she said.
