Israel’s military recruitment in Canada must cease
Written by: John Philpot
The Government of Canada allows the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to recruit soldiers illegally in Canada. Israel, its armed forces and the representatives of this colonialist apartheid state benefit from impunity for the crime of illegal recruitment. Ffor this, the IDF and Canadians serving in the IDF are celebrated by Canada.
The Foreign Enlistment Act prohibits recruitment and or other forms of inducement to enlist in the armed forces of a foreign state, except with respect to citizens from a given that state who are not Canadians. Violating this ban is criminal just like theft, fraud, or sexual crimes.
The Israeli consulate in Toronto has repeatedly announced that it has an IDF representative available by appointment for anyone who would like to join that army - and not just those who are required to do compulsory service. At least one Canadian diplomat has apparently been encouraging Canadians to join the IDF. On January 16, 2020, former Canadian Ambassador to Israel, Deborah Lyons, hosted a widely publicized event in Tel Aviv in honour of Canadians serving in the IDF.
Recruitment for the Israel Defense Forces is particularly heinous. The IDF's illegal activities are notorious: whether directed against the Palestinian population in the occupied Palestinian territories or within Israel proper. To give just one example, the IDF have been conducting or, for example, through illegal bombing raids on Syria for the past eight years.
Israel now has military cooperation with Gulf States and Canadian recruits possibly could be sent to the Gulf. Israel has nuclear weapons and Canada is turning a deaf ear to this scandal. This army enforces the occupation and the apartheid in all of Palestine from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River. It commits a crimes of aggression against its neighbours, the supreme international crime as described in the 1946 Nuremberg judgment.
The IDF not only recruits in Canada, but also shoots Canadians. On December 11, 2015, Rehab Nazzal, a doctoral student at Western University in London, Ont., while studying on a federal research grant, was shot and wounded by an IDF sniper while walking in the street in Bethlehem. On May 14, 2018, Dr. Tarek Loubani, a Canadian doctor, was shot and wounded in Gaza by the IDF while treating wounded victims of IDF snipers. At the time he was shot, Dr Loubani was clearly identified as medical personnel.
A criminal complaint was filed with Justice Minister David Lametti on October 19, 2020, against Israeli consular members, an Israeli soldier and the Canadian diplomat Deborah Lyons. None of them have immunity from criminal prosecution. The plaintiffs, the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute, Just Peace Advocates and Palestinians and Jews United (PAJU), requested a thorough investigation of all those recruiting for the Israel Defense Forces, and, where appropriate, laying charges for recruiting for the IDF or for encouraging IDF recruitment in Canada.
The October 19, 2020 complaint was supported by an open letter signed by Noam Chomsky, Roger Waters, Ken Loach, former MP Jim Manly, as well as poet El Jones and author Yann Martel, and more than 170 Canadians as well, asking Minister David Lametti to investigate the illegal IDF recruitment in Canada. Lametti has received nearly 1,500 letters from individuals concerned about illegal Israeli military recruitment in Canada.
On October 21, 2020, Lametti told Le Devoir that foreign diplomats must obey Canadian law. He said that the complaint would be referred to the police and the Federal prosecutor. On November 3, 2020, evidence was provided to the RCMP. On November 19, the RCMP confirmed that it took the complaint seriously and that complainants would be notified of the results. Additional evidence of illegal recruitment within the community was submitted on January 3, 2021. Evidence provided to the RCMP is largely based on facts available on the internet and social media. The RCMP have the resources to complete the investigation and lay charges based on the evidence.
According to 2017 IDF statistics, 230 Canadians served in the IDF. Other sources indicate that more than 600 Canadians are serving as "Lone Soldiers" in Israel. Lone soldiers are those soldiers without family in Israel.
The Israeli consulate(s) in Canada apparently have arranged for IDF soldiers and veterans to attend schools, summer camps and other locations in Canada with the aim of encouraging young people to enlist. Canada has become a backyard for the Israeli apartheid state.
Montreal’s largest denominational school, the Hebrew Academy (AH), organizes screenings of films celebrating the Israeli military. In 2016, their website reported “only one week into the new school year, Grade 10 and 11 students were privileged to meet three former members of the IDF who are in Montreal on a two-week visit as representatives of Beit Halochem [Fighter’s House]
The Academy, recognized by the federal and provincial governments, receives 60% of its funding from the Government of Quebec. Should Quebec taxpayers fund a school promoting a foreign army engaged in a military occupation?
The UJA of Greater Toronto Federation on June 4, 2020, publicized a webinar on how to join the Israel Defense Forces. Ironically, that same organization, the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, co-hosts the 4th Annual Legal Conference on February 9, 2021, “The Rule of Law in Times of Crisis”. Minister David Lametti who will ironically attend this conference held by an organization that appears to be commitcommitting the crime of encouraging this illegal recruitment. Does Mr Lametti support illegal recruitment?
In Quebec, Federation CJA publicized an identical event in June 2020 entitled: How to join the FDI.
Beyond the immorality of becoming an Israeli soldier, getting involved with the Israeli occupation army could have legal consequences in Canada. In Nevsun Resources Ltd. v. Araya, 2020 SCC 5, the Supreme Court of Canada opened the door to civil liability claims for human rights violations abroad. Who could be targeted in Canada in the not-so-distant future? The ICC prosecutor is conducting a preliminary examination into crimes committed in Palestine. Could Canadians be targeted?
In June 2020, Canada was called out for its hypocrisy when the General Assembly rejected its attempt to obtain a seat on the UN Security Council. Isn't it time for Canada to become sovereign, distance itself from the occupation of Palestine, respect the United Nations and be independent from its neighbour to the south? Putting an end to Israeli military recruitment in Canada and saying so publicly would be a step in the right direction.
There will be a webinar on the subject on February 3, 2021 at 7:30 p.m., with the panelists, Mario Beaulieu, member of Parliament for the Bloc Québécois, David Mivisair, retired rabbi and John Philpot (the undersigned) and others. A question and answer period will follow.
Please write to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to encourage this investigation:
It is Canada's duty to complete this investigation, to lay charges according to the law and to end the Israeli Defense Forces recruiting in Canada by Israeli consular officials and community organizations in Toronto, Montreal and elsewhere in Canada.
John Philpot is an international lawyer, member of the Board of Directors of the Just Peace Advocates and a member of the Coordination Committee of the Coalition BDS Québec.
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