Israel refused a Canadian delegation's entry into the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, branding them "public safety threats" despite earlier issuing them travel authorizations.
The delegation included six Canadian MPs and representatives of other groups, including the National Council of Canadian Muslims.
Seeking to justify the refusal, the Israeli government said the group that arranged the trip, Canadian Muslim Vote, gets most of its funding from Islamic Relief Canada. The latter is a subsidiary of Islamic Relief Worldwide, which is listed by Israel as a terrorist organization, a representative of Tel Aviv told the Toronto Star in an email.
National Council of Canadian Muslims head Stephen Brown took issue with the refusal of entry.
"This development is deeply troubling and extremely disappointing," he said in a statement. "Israeli authorities had issued electronic travel authorizations to all members of the delegation, yet lawful observers, including elected Canadian officials, were ultimately barred from entry as 'public safety threats.'
"While we are saddened by this outcome, it regrettably aligns with a broader pattern by the Israeli government of restricting access to those seeking to independently witness the realities in the occupied territories."
Foreign Minister Anita Anand said her department is in contact with the delegation. "We have expressed Canada's objections regarding the mistreatment of these Canadians," she wrote on US social media company X.
Islamic Relief Canada is not listed as a terror group by Canadian authorities and has, in fact, received grants from the Canadian government for foreign humanitarian aid.
International observers have long decried the mistreatment and violent campaigns against Palestinians in the West Bank at the hands of illegal Israeli settlers, with Israeli security forces giving the settlers free reign to violate the law.
