The six parliamentarians in the delegation include Liberal MPs Fares Al-Soud, Iqra Khalid, Aslam Rana, Gurbux Saini, and Sameer Zuberi, alongside NDP MP Jenny Kwan. Prior to the trip, Kwan told CBC News she suspected the group might face entry refusal given the deterioration in relations between Ottawa and Jerusalem over the past two years.

The visit is sponsored by The Canadian Muslim Vote, a registered non-profit. According to the Israeli Embassy in Canada, the group receives the majority of its funding from "Islamic Relief Canada," a branch of "Islamic Relief Worldwide," which appears on Israel's list of terror-designated entities. The MPs were scheduled to visit Judea and Samaria to meet with Palestinian families and hear about how they are supposedly being maligned by Jewish settlers, as well as to meet with Palestinian Authority officials to discuss democratic reforms. According to local Canadian reports, a similar visit was organized in early 2024 for a different group of Liberal and socialist NDP lawmakers, but tensions between Canada and Israel have since worsened. Relations ran aground following Canada's official recognition of a Palestinian state about three months ago.

In a statement to CBC News, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) confirmed that "several foreign nationals who arrived at the Allenby Bridge crossing without prior coordination" were barred from entering. "Following checks by security officials, in coordination with the Israeli Foreign Ministry and the Population and Immigration Authority, the decision was made to prevent their entry into the Judea and Samaria region for security reasons," the statement read.

MP Kwan, however, insisted the delegation had coordinated with Israeli authorities through Canadian government channels, while two other lawmakers alleged "aggressive" treatment by Israeli border officials. "At no point did we try to hide the information. We were completely forthright," Kwan said in an interview with CBC News.

She explained that the MPs hold special diplomatic passports and were not provided with the standard entry refusal form – and consequently were not asked to sign it. She added that she does not accept the justification Israel provided for the refusal.

"I reject outright the claim that civil society organizations engaged in humanitarian work on the ground constitute a security threat, and I also reject the idea that members of parliament, who are performing their duties, somehow constitute a security threat," she said. Kwan noted that before attempting to enter, the delegation visited a refugee camp in Jordan and spoke with families about their experiences. She remarked that she had not yet heard how the Canadian government intends to respond, but added: "One must ask – what exactly is the Israeli government trying to hide?"

MP Iqra Khalid of Ontario, a member of Prime Minister Mark Carney's party, told CBC News she was part of the delegation and was pushed several times by Israeli border inspectors.

She recounted noticing an Israeli official interrogating another delegation member and approaching to ensure her colleague was not in danger. According to Khalid, one officer ordered her to step back, after which another officer approached her. "He was yelling and screaming at my face, telling me to go away, and he pushed me back into the wall," Khalid said. "At that point, I said, 'Please don't touch me,' and he said, 'I will touch you as much as I want,' and pushed me again."

Khalid noted that other representatives intervened "and took me away from that situation before it escalated" before it could escalate. "I was shocked by the aggressive and hostile behavior," she added.

Global Affairs Minister Anita Anand released a statement on X regarding the incident. "Today a private delegation of Canadians – which included Members of Parliament – was denied entry to the West Bank at an Israeli border crossing," Anand wrote. "Global Affairs is in contact with the delegation and we have expressed Canada's objections regarding the mistreatment of these Canadians while attempting to cross."

Speaking with CBC News, Islamic Relief Canada CEO Tufail Hussain said Israel's accusations were "false and reckless."

"Islamic Relief Canada is a Canadian-registered humanitarian charity operating under Canadian law, with rigorous compliance controls and extensive independent auditing," Hussain said.

The post Israel blocks Canadian MPs due to terror-linked funding appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Our client, a Canadian citizen, was told that her place of birth—Kfar Saba, Israel—could not appear on her passport "because of the political conflict."

No law supports this.

No regulation authorizes it.

No democracy should tolerate it.

Passports are not political documents.… pic.twitter.com/q5UERBeoVK

— Neil G. Oberman (@NeilOberman) November 13, 2025

Litigation lawyer Neil Oberman publicized the controversy, stating: "Our client, a Canadian citizen, was told that her place of birth, Kafar Saba Israel, could not appear on her passport because of the political conflict."

The applicant, whose goes by Anastasia on X, recounting her experience, noted that a Canadian Passports employee informed her: "I cannot put Israel as my place of birth on my Canadian passport." When questioned why, the employee replied, "because of the political conflict, we cannot put Israel on your passport."

A Canadian Passports employee told me they can not write Israel as my birth country. These are the clear consequences of the current government and leadership in power. Thank you @NeilOberman for supporting me and for your fight for truth and patriotism. pic.twitter.com/ffhCSbKujM

— Anastasia (@nastizor) November 13, 2025

The applicant described her confusion over the decision, asking the employee: "So if it was any other country written as my birth country, you could put that country in my passport, but only because it's Israel, you cannot put it there. And she says, 'Yes.'."

Oberman emphasized that the refusal was improper because Kafar Saba is not located in disputed territory, distinguishing it from previous legal challenges concerning other cities.

He further asserted that "the distinction here is that Kafar Saba is not in the disputed territories."
The lawyer argued that his client was entitled to have her city and country of origin listed correctly: "my client had a right to have her city and her country of origin Israel on her passport." Oberman deemed the situation "unacceptable in Canada today", noting that the client "had to fight to have her place of birth put on her identity document."

During the contentious application process, the applicant pressed the employees for clarification and policy proof. She was eventually told by staff that "since Prime Minister Mark Carney declared recognition of a Palestinian state, some cities are eligible to be put as Palestine as their birth country," listing cities such as "Nabulus, Janine, Ramla, Jerusalem."

Though the issue was eventually resolved, the applicant stressed the potential for discrimination: "In the end, after I questioned them and I asked to see exactly where it says what, they put Israel on my passport." However, she added, "if it was somebody in my shoes and they were told that they cannot put their of birth because of a political conflict. It's clear discrimination." She concluded that the incident demonstrated that she was "under some political influence by an employee from Passports Canada."

Oberman called for ministerial accountability regarding the conduct of the department, stating: "The reality is it's a lack of training on the part of the people at the passport office. It needs to be addressed by the minister responsible for this department. Period." He further warned: "good Canadians should be scared because when they're finished with the people that go to synagogue on Saturday, they're going to come after the people who go to church on Sunday and maybe the Hindu temple on Monday. The reality is it's a slippery slope, sir. It has to stop."

Oberman confirmed that the client, a "strong woman with strong credentials," was ultimately able to resolve the issue herself, though he stated he is committed to ensuring that "some poor person who doesn't have the same personality won't have to experience the indignity of what happened to her will happen to them."

Passport Canada has yet to officially comment on the incident.

The post Canadian told 'Kfar Saba, Israel' can't be listed on passport appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.