Muslim groups say Canadian MPs not welcome in mosques unless they condemn Israel for Gaza war

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) - Canadian Muslim organizations said Thursday that federal lawmakers are not welcome in mosques unless they publicly condemn Israeli “war crimes,” demand for a cease-fire in Gaza and restore UN aid funding for Palestinians.

The message was delivered in an open letter signed by groups including the National Council of Canadian Muslims.

“If you cannot publicly commit to all of the above, respectfully, we cannot provide you with a platform to address our congregations,” said the letter. “Ramadan is about humanity. This Ramadan more than ever, only those MPs who share in our commitment to humanity will be welcome to address us in our sacred spaces.”

The holy month of Ramadan is scheduled to begin March 10.

The letter also urges lawmakers to stop the “flow of arms and military equipment to the (Israeli) government” and to defend the “right of Canadians to express solidary with the Palestinian people without fear of reprisal.”

Canada was among several countries that halted funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) when it was charged that several employees were complicit in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. There is some doubt about the charge.​​​​​​​

The letter said UNRWA aid is a “lifeline for millions of refugees which was suspended without reasonable basis” and demands it be restored.

Israel launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack on Oct. 7. The ensuing Israeli bombardment has killed more than 29,000 victims and injured over 69,000 with mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war on Gaza has pushed 85% of the territory's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Now, it is expected that Israel will soon mount an offensive against Rafah, which is considered the last haven in Gaza.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.