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August 16, 2018

OTTAWA, ON – In response to the honouring of Amin El-Maoued with a “certificate of appreciation” by MP Iqra Khalid, Martin Sampson, Vice President, Communications, of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) issued the following:

“Members of Parliament are responsible for who they meet with and who they choose to honour. Mistakes can happen, but we find it troubling that this MP chose to recognize a senior member of the Palestine House organization for the second time, despite concerns raised the first time.

“Palestine House is associated with extreme and odious positions on the Middle East. Representatives of the organization have spoken out in support of organizations like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the PFLP which are designated as terrorist organizations by the Government of Canada. In 2008, Palestine House hounoured Dr. George Habash, founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Canadians will remember that the PFLP took credit for the Har Nof massacre in 2014 during which four Jewish men were murdered while at prayer in a synagogue. One of the victims was a Canadian.”

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) is the advocacy agent of the Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA.

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For more information, please contact:

Adir Krafman
Senior Manager, Media Relations
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA)
Phone: +1 416-820-6871
Email: akrafman@cija.ca