Israel

PBI-Canada supports civil society call to suspend all trade in arms and military technology with Israel

Peace Brigades International-Canada has signed this statement calling for an arms embargo on Israel that, in part, says: “As the catastrophe wrought by Israel’s continued assault on Gaza grows, Canadian civil society organizations across multiple sectors are calling on the Canadian government to immediately suspend all trade in arms and Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

PBI-Guatemala accompanies Famdegua at hearing on Inter-American Court ruling and acquittal of three soldiers in Dos Erres massacre

Update On May 4, PBI-Guatemala posted: “#PBI accompanies relatives of Famdegua Guatemala and the Human Rights Law Firm [BDH] to the hearing on the appeal of the #CasoDosErres. Last November, three Kaibiles accused of crimes against the duties of humanity and murder in the 1982 massacre were acquitted. The hearing Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

International Court of Justice to make provisional ruling on arms exports to Israel within weeks

Video still: The ICJ hears case on weapons exports to Israel. Foreign Policy reports: “Nicaragua asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Monday [April 8] to order Germany to stop all arms exports to Israel. …Germany is Israel’s second-largest arms provider after Washington, with the former having sent $353.7 Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

Canadian banks continue to hold shares in the weapons companies profiting from Israel’s ongoing assault against Gaza

Photo: Sarah Abdul-Karim, a member of the Palestinian Youth Movement, spoke about RBC investments in weapons companies at this rally in Ottawa on April 6. Six months after Israel’s assault on Palestine began, Canadian banks continue to invest in the weapons companies arming the Israeli military. The numbers are staggering: Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

Is Canada exporting already-authorized military goods to Israel to uphold “the supply chain” over human rights conventions?

Photo: Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly. Is Canada choosing to export “military goods” to Israel approved prior to January 8, 2024, based on commercial “implications” while disregarding human rights commitments in the Genocide Convention and the Arms Trade Treaty? On March 19, the House of Commons passed a motion Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

U.S. authorizes the transfer to Israel of bombs and fighter jets made by companies financed by the Royal Bank of Canada

Photo: An Israeli F-35I with four GBU-31 bombs in the foreground. The Boeing-developed Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance tail kit converts an unguided MK-84 bomb into a “smart” guided bomb unit (GBU). Today, on the 176th day of the Israeli assault on Gaza in which 82 people were killed Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

Ontario companies export armoured vehicles to police forces implicated in human rights violations

Photo: Roshel Inc., an Ontario-based company trying to export its armoured vehicles to Israel, will be an exhibitor at the CANSEC arms show in Ottawa, May 29-30. There are human rights concerns about how some armoured vehicles manufactured in Ontario are used by security forces around the world. The human Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

As the US moves ahead with $3 billion sale of F-35s to Israel, Canada continues to supply key parts for these bombers

Photo: An IAF F-35 Adir. On March 19, Middle East Eye reported: “The US plans to move ahead with a $2.5bn [also reported as $3 billion] sale of F-35 fighter jets, Josh Paul, the former director of congressional and public affairs for the State Department’s bureau of political-military affairs, said.” Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

Could Canadian-made Colt M4 and MK18 assault rifles be exported for Israeli “civilian security squads”?

Photo: Protest at Colt Canada Corporation plant in Kitchener, Ontario; February 28, 2024. Photo by World Beyond War Canada. On March 18, the House of Commons passed a motion that included an amendment from a Liberal Member of Parliament so that it would read Canada will “cease the further authorization Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago

Canada helps 50+ countries access Elbit’s “battle-tested” weapons at CANSEC arms show in Ottawa

Photo: Elbit Systems at CANSEC in 2019. On May 29-30 they will be at Booth 1421/M10 in the EY Centre in Ottawa. The Guardian reports: “Canada will halt future arms sales to Israel following a non-binding vote in the house of commons. The foreign affairs minister, Mélanie Joly, told the Read more…

By Brent Patterson, ago