On May 10, 2022, the United Church of Canada wrote a letter to The Honourable Minister Mélanie Joly, P.C., M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs, saying that “Canada must condemn Israeli Supreme Court decision upholding the forced expulsions of Palestinian villagers from Masafer Yatta and urge Israel to comply with International Law”.

Excerpt:

…We are
concerned that we have received no response from your office on the numerous concerns we have written regarding violations of Palestinian human rights. On 5 May 2022, the Israeli Supreme dismissed the petitions of the residents of eight Palestinian villages in the Masafer Yatta area of the southern West Bank against their forced expulsion from their homes and grazing lands claimed by the Israeli army as a firing zone. Canada must call on the Government of Israel to immediately rescind this decision.

The United Church of Canada calls on Canada to:
• publicly denounce the Government of Israel’s plan to forcibly expel the villagers of Masafer Yatta from their homes and land, and demand that the Government of Israel immediately rescind this decision;
• request the Representation of the Canada to the Palestinian Authority to visit the Palestinian communities of Masafer Yatta to express Canada’s support for their right to remain in their homes on their land; and
• work with like-minded countries in the international community to use all available means to hold the Government of Israel accountable for violations of international law…