Israel blocks Canadian delegation — including MPs — from entering the West Bank

The National Council of Canadian Muslims says a delegation of Canadians that includes six members of Parliament was denied entry to the West Bank at the Israeli border Tuesday morning.

Israel's embassy in Canada says the group was denied entry because of links to Islamic Relief Worldwide, which is listed as a terror entity by Israel.

B.C. NDP MP Jenny Kwan is part of the delegation and said in a media statement Tuesday that Israeli authorities cited public security, safety and order considerations to rationalize denying the delegation entry to the West Bank.

"The Canadian government informed Israel of the delegation prior to travel. 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," Kwan said in the statement.

Kwan's statement said the entire delegation had electronic travel authorizations to enter the West Bank but they were revoked "on the day of our arrival."

A statement issued by Israel's embassy in Canada said the delegation was denied entry due to the sponsor organization, The Canadian-Muslim Vote.

"The organizers are The Canadian-Muslim Vote, which receives the vast majority of its funding from Islamic Relief Canada, a subsidiary of Islamic Relief Worldwide. IRW was listed as a terror entity by the State of Israel," the statement said.

"The State of Israel will not allow the entry of organizations and individuals who are associated with designated terror entities."

Israel added Islamic Relief Worldwide to its permanent list of terrorist organizations in June 2014.

The delegation had plans to meet with displaced Palestinians in the West Bank, where the Israeli government recently approved the construction of 764 new homes in Jewish settlements.

Dr. Muhammad Munshi, a Mississauga, Ont. radiologist and delegation member, said they waited at a border crossing for "three to four hours" Tuesday morning before being denied entry to the West Bank by Israeli border officials.

"I believe they did list that, as 'a potential security threat' on one of the papers that they handed to us. That was really very surprising, and really no Canadian MP is a security threat," Munshi said in an interview from Amman, Jordan.

"This was really a transparent fact-finding mission for the members of Parliament, as well as for the people that travelled with them. It's just an opportunity for us to view and to witness and to see what's happening in the region and to make policy decisions based on what's being observed."

Munshi said his understanding is that the "public safety threat" wording was applied to the entire group, not to any specific individual.

In addition to visiting the West Bank, Munshi said the delegation planned to meet with Christian, Jewish and Muslim organizations in various sites between Jerusalem, Hebron, Bethlehem and Janine.

Five Liberal MPs and one NDP MP are taking part in the delegation, which is now back in Jordan.

Munshi said the delegation is still figuring out what else they could do in the region before their scheduled return to Canada on Friday.

The NCCM says the Israeli government's refusal to allow Canadian parliamentarians into the country raises serious concerns about transparency and accountability.

Canada formally recognized Palestinian statehood in September but said some conditions must be met first, including elections in the new year that Hamas can't contest.

Picture Courtesy: AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed