The cramped hospital room in Yatta, a Palestinian city in the occupied West Bank, is filled with visitors providing solace in silence. Khader Nawaj’ah and his wife, Fatima, are recovering from a brutal attack by Israeli settlers while they were sleeping outside their home for relief from the heat.
Khader, with a bruised face and swollen hand, recounted the harrowing experience of being pelted with large stones and beaten with sticks by the settlers. This incident is one of many cases of settler violence treated at the hospital by Dr. Tareq Abu Aram.
Canada has imposed sanctions on individuals and entities involved in extremist settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank since May 2024. Despite escalating attacks, tax deductible donations from Canadians to groups supporting West Bank settlements persist, as revealed by an investigation.
Nasser Nawaj’ah, a B’Tselem field researcher, emphasized the contradiction between Canadian respect for international law, which deems Israeli settlements illegal, and the funding of these settlements by Canadian charities.
Critics argue that the mere presence of settlers in the West Bank legitimizes violence, even if not all settlers engage in physical attacks. Donations from Canadians continue to flow to organizations backing the expansion of settlements, including those sanctioned by Canada for supporting violence against Palestinians.
The charitable status of organizations like the Jewish National Fund of Canada has been revoked for failing to control donations and supporting non-charitable causes. Concerns have been raised about other charities channeling funds to entities affiliated with the Israeli military, contrary to Canadian tax rules and public policy.
Residents of Khirbet Susiya live in constant fear of settler violence and potential home demolitions, with the future appearing uncertain and justice elusive. The debate surrounding Canadian charities’ financial support for settlements in the West Bank continues, prompting calls for stricter oversight and adherence to international law.
