Canada imposes sanctions on Palestinian organization

Canada is listing the pro-Palestinian group Samidoun as a terrorist group, while the U.S. has added a Canadian citizen affiliated with the organization to its counter-terrorism list.

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc says Samidoun will now be listed under Criminal Code offences that ban people from donating or providing property to the group.

Samidoun is also known as the Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, and Ottawa says it “has close links with and advances the interests of” another group that Canada already lists as a terrorist entity, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The U.S. Treasury Department is also listing Canadian citizen Khaled Barakat as an affiliate of a terrorist group, saying he is part of the Popular Front’s leadership and fundraising. 

American officials list Samidoun as being headquartered in Vancouver, and they say the group is masquerading as a humanitarian support charity that actually supports terrorism against Israel.

Samidoun did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Conservatives called last week for Samidoun to be listed as a terrorist entity, accusing the group of organizing several rallies in Canada where participants openly called for the destruction of Israel.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2024.