The Canadian parliament Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs began to investigate the situation of Jewish refugees from Arab countries who were forced to leave their homes as a result of the Arab-Israeli conflict in 1948, Shalom Toronto reports.
According to available data, more than 850 thousand Jewish refugees fled persecution and violence in the Middle East and North Africa, leading to the elimination of the Jewish communities that flourished in these places for thousands of years.
So far, Canadian government policy did not deal with the issue of Jewish refugees, focused only on Arab refugees.
The Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) worked in recent years to change the policy to which Canadian policy shall also expressed the suffering of Jewish refugees.
CIJA CEO Shimon Fogel, provided expert testimony supporting the case for Jewish refugees from Arab countries. Representatives from the “Justice for Jews from Arab countries” organization also testified on the need to respect the rights of these refugees.
Jewish lobby Chairman David Koshitsky praised the committee and urged MPs from all political parties to recognize the rights of Jewish refugees.
“The two communities of refugees were created as a result of the Arab-Israeli conflict, one Jewish and the other Palestinian,” said Koshitsky.
“Unfortunately, the suffering of Jewish refugees has been omitted completely from Canada’s Middle East policy, while the Palestinians’ plight has grabbed a central spot. Decision makers are required to correct the basic imbalance in Canadian policy. Equal treatment of Jewish refugees from Arab countries is a crucial ingredient in any just and lasting peace between Israel Palestinians.”