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e-2667 (Foreign affairs)

E-petition
Initiated by Corey Levine from Victoria, British Columbia

Original language of petition: English

Petition to the Government of Canada

Whereas:
  • Canada’s foreign policy indicates a ‘priority commitment’ to protection of the rights of children around the world;
  • As a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Israeli authorities must respect and ensure basic due process rights and the absolute prohibition against torture and ill-treatment of children in accordance with international juvenile justice standards;
  • The Secretary General of the United Nations released his report on Children and Armed Conflict on June 20, 2019;
  • It reiterated the Special Representative’s "call upon Israel to uphold international juvenile justice standards, as well as to cease the use of administrative detention for children and end all forms of ill-treatment in detention, and to cease any attempted recruitment of detained children as informants”;
  • Israel has the distinction of being the only country in the world that automatically and systematically prosecutes children in military courts that lack fundamental fair trial rights and protections;
  • Defense for Children International Palestine reported that “Three out of four Palestinian children experience some form of physical violence following arrest by Israeli Defense Forces”; and
  • These children often give confessions after verbal abuse, threats, physical and psychological violence with no access to legal counsel during their interrogation.
We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to ensure the human rights of Palestinian children are protected by instructing a Special Envoy to promote, monitor and report on the human rights situation of Palestinian children living in the occupied Palestinian Territory and Gaza.

Response by the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob Oliphant

The promotion and protection of human rights is an integral aspect of Canadian efforts abroad, and children’s rights are a top concern of our foreign policy. Canada is a strong advocate of the effort to end all violations of human rights against children, particularly in situations of humanitarian emergencies and armed conflict.

Canadian officials continue to closely monitor the status of children’s rights in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. Canada believes that both Israel and the Palestinian Authority must fully respect international humanitarian and human rights law. Respect for these laws is key to ensuring the protection of civilians, and contributes to the creation of a climate conducive to achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace.

Canada encourages Israel and the Palestinians to resume dialogue and direct negotiations to foster peace and stability.

Open for signature
July 6, 2020, at 1:08 p.m. (EDT)
Closed for signature
November 3, 2020, at 1:08 p.m. (EDT)
Presented to the House of Commons
Paul Manly (Nanaimo—Ladysmith)
November 20, 2020 (Petition No. 432-00253)
Government response tabled
January 25, 2021
Photo - Paul Manly
Nanaimo—Ladysmith
Green Party Caucus
British Columbia
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