Penny Appeal Canada CEO Denied Entry to West Bank During Humanitarian Delegation Visit

Earlier this week, I joined a Canadian Parliamentary and Humanitarian delegation traveling to the West Bank via Jordan. Despite possessing all the required documentation and approvals, all 30 members of our delegation, including 6 MPs were denied entry by Israeli authorities, citing our delegation as a “public safety” risk.

Let me be clear: our delegation, made up of elected officials, humanitarians, and members of Canadian civil society, posed no threat to public safety. Our purpose was to witness conditions on the ground, engage with local partners and Palestinians, and ensure that our future programming remains responsive, responsible, and fully compliant with Canadian law. Visits like these are not political. They are vital for organizations like ours to assess needs firsthand, learn from the people we serve, and strengthen the integrity and efficacy of our humanitarian work.

While this incident is deeply concerning, it underscores the importance of continued engagement, advocacy, and transparency in our mission. The ability for civil society and humanitarian representatives to see realities on the ground is essential to effective, ethical, and accountable humanitarian work.

We have called upon the Canadian Government to:

• Publicly condemn this denial of entry and seek an immediate explanation from Israeli authorities;
• Insist that Canadian parliamentary and humanitarian delegations be permitted to travel without intimidation, arbitrary conditions, or undue restrictions, and;
• Reinforce Canada’s longstanding position that humanitarian access must be facilitated and protected.

Furthermore, I had the opportunity to speak with Al Jazeera about my experience. I encourage you to read it here: Israel denies entry to Canadian MPs trying to reach occupied West Bank.

I want to thank you, our dedicated community of supporters, for standing with Penny Appeal. This unfortunate turn of events will not deter my team from the work that needs to be done to serve the people of Palestine.

With gratitude and resolve,

Fawad Kalsi

CEO, Penny Appeal Canada