November 5, 2024
OTTAWA – B’nai Brith Canada warned a House of Commons standing committee Tuesday that a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict would not be possible without major democratic reforms in the Palestinian territories.
“The peaceful co-existence of an Israeli and Palestinian state is the only logical solution,” B’nai Brith wrote in a five-page submission to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE). “However, it would be irresponsible to recognize Palestinian statehood under the current circumstances. Rushing the development of a framework for a two-state solution has the potential to only further jeopardize Israel’s national security.”
Thus, B’nai Brith argued that Canada should commit to “assisting in the development of functional democracy within the Palestinian Territories before it recognizes the existence of a Palestinian state.” Taking this step preemptively, before Palestinian institutions are capable of self-governance, could lead to a repetition of a civil war such as the one that embroiled Gaza following Israel’s withdrawal from the territory in 2005.
“Iran-backed terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah are major obstacles to democratic reform in the Palestinian territories,” said Henry Topas, B’nai Brith Canada’s Regional Director for Quebec and Atlantic Canada, who presented our organization’s conclusions to FAAE Tuesday morning during the committee’s 125th sitting. “Canada must give Israel its unconditional support so that it has space to eliminate terrorist threats to its security. Such radical, Islamist groups are not only a threat to Israel and the global Jewish community, but also are autocratic death cults that violently suppress expressions of dissent in Palestinian public life.”
B’nai Brith’s appearance at FAAE comes as Israel continues to battle Hamas in the Gaza strip, where the terrorists hold about 100 hostages abducted during their barbaric assault on Israel in October, 2023. In the past few months, Israel also has faced an unprecedented series of attacks launched by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“The Jewish community generally wants peace,” said David Granovsky, B’nai Brith Canada’s Director of Government Relations. “And Canada can be a part of the process of helping Israelis and Palestinians reach a lasting compromise. But it is far too early to consider recognizing a Palestinian state, and doing so would only give legitimacy to terrorists.
“Rewarding terrorism is inconsistent with our country’s liberal values. It is also a bad strategy because it would harden existing tensions in the Middle East and spill over into incitement abroad, including in Canada.”
