GC45 SW03 Calling on Canada to renounce Administrative Detention of Palestinians for Summer 2025

Origin: Palestine Network – Shining Waters Region 

1. What is the issue? Why is it important?

Israel continues to use administrative detention as a provision of its military law to detain thousands of Palestinians (including hundreds of children). The United Church of Canada is strongly committed to human rights and the rule of law, believing Jesus’ sayings about respectful treatment of fellow humans, including “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” and that “as you have done it the least of these who are members of my family, you have done it to me” (Matt. 25:40).  

2. What is happening now?

Many thousands of Palestinians are held in administrative detention by Israel at any given time (see 4., below). It can last for many months with no right of habeus corpus, no access to legal representation, and in the case of children, their parents. Human rights organizations have documented cruel treatment in detention, even including torture. Detention can be shortened if detainees agree to sign a confession. These are often presented in Hebrew to Arabic speakers, with no translation offered. 

3. What is the recommendation?

That the 45th General Council denounce and object to Israel’s use of administrative detention wherein thousands of Palestinians–including children–are held for months without charge, trial, or conviction with no, or extremely limited, access to legal counsel or family visitation; and be it further 

That the 45th General Council urge the Canadian government to pressure Israel to end the practice of administrative detention. 

4. Background information:

In a November 8, 2023 update, Amnesty International reported “Horrifying cases of torture and degrading treatment of Palestinian detainees amid spike in arbitrary arrests” in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. At the end of November, 2023, Human Rights Watch said, “As of November 1, Israeli authorities held nearly 7,000 Palestinians from the occupied territory in detention for alleged security offenses, according to the Israeli human rights organization HaMoked.” B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights organization and United Church of Canada global partner, reported on September 2, 2024 that “At the end of June 2024, the Israel Prison Service was holding 3,340 Palestinians in administrative detention.” All these organizations are widely respected in their reporting of the situation on the ground.  

5. How does this proposal help us to live into our church's commitments on equity? 

Adoption of this proposal adds the voice of The United Church to the growing number of denominations and organizations denouncing blatant violations of human rights by the State of Israel. This response by the international community will weigh on Israel as a member of the family of nations and help it to understand that its policies and procedures are unacceptable. This proposal builds on the Justice Principles for advocacy work of The United Church of Canada as the foundation of a principle-based approach to Palestine-Israel, namely the principles of anti-oppression; truth-telling; respect for human dignity; and equity, mutuality, respect and reparations.  


For the body transmitting this proposal to the General Council: 
Please select the appropriate option and provide the key discussion points for items being forwarded to the General Council: 
☑ Agree
☐ Disagree without forwarding to the General Council
☐ Disagree and forwarding to the General Council

If you have questions regarding this proposal, please send them to: GCinfo@united-church.ca