OTTAWA — Two MPs on a delegation that was denied access to the West Bank earlier this week are asking Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand to get answers from Israel for the harsh treatment of its members.
Several witnesses told The Canadian Press they saw Israeli border officials push Ontario Liberal MP Iqra Khalid while the approximately 30-person delegation was held up at the Allenby Crossing for several hours Tuesday.
A letter sent late Thursday from delegation members and MPs Jenny Kwan and Gurbux Saini asks Anand to summon Israel’s ambassador to Canada for an explanation of why the group was mistreated and denied entry.
Israel’s embassy in Canada says the delegation was denied entry because it was sponsored by The Canadian-Muslim Vote, which the embassy says receives funding from a group Tel Aviv deems a terror entity.
The MPs are also looking for assurances that Canadian elected officials and citizens won’t face intimidation or physical force in future interactions with Israeli officials.
Anand issued a social media statement earlier this week saying Global Affairs Canada is in contact with the delegation and the government has “expressed Canada’s objections regarding the mistreatment of these Canadians while attempting to cross.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2025.
— with files from David Baxter
Craig Lord, The Canadian Press
