On 16 June 2026, Raffy Boudjikanian at CBC News released a report that the World Zionist Organization was included on a draft list of sanctions, but was ultimately removed. As part of the Global Sanctions Coalition, Just Peace Advocates, IJV Canada, and CJPME have been asking the government to impose sanctions on the WZO and the Jewish National Fund. The Canadian government left WZO off the sanction list, so Canadian taxpayers will continue to fund the Israeli government through the WZO and its associated organizations.
A brief background
Embedded within the State of Israel are four key organizations: the World Zionist Organization (WZO), Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), Keren Hayesod, and the Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF).
JAFI was established in 1929 and acts as the operational branch of the World Zionist Organization (WZO). The WZO is the non-governmental organization that led to the creation of the State of Israel. It was founded at the First Zionist Congress in 1897 by the instigation of Theodor Herzl. As the author of a 2025 Jerusalem Post article described it:
“[T]he WZO was the start-up, with its end product being the State of Israel.” However, the WZO never actually ‘exited’ the picture, they remain an integral part of the Zionist State. After the WZO transferred its “civic administrative responsibilities” to the “Government of Israel”, the government recognized “the WZO and its affiliated subsidiaries as an integral part of the civic efforts of settling the land, facilitating immigration to it, and providing quality education to its citizens. The WZO became a golden institutional standard of sorts.”
Keren Hayesod is one of the constituent bodies of JAFI and encourages illegal settlement. They do this work in close collaboration with the Government of Israel. The Jewish National Fund in Israel, also known as Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael or KKL-JNF, is one of the “main engines” in the colonization of Palestine. KKL-JNF “directly controls 15% of the land in Israel, ‘for the purpose of settling Jews,’ according to its mandate from the government.”
Together, the WZO, JAFI, Keren Hayesod, and the Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) “comprise the four pillar national institutions of the State of Israel, all of which enjoy a special protected legal status.” These four “National Institutions” all share one headquarters in Jerusalem.
“The World Zionist Organization and its operational arm, the Jewish Agency for Israel, are aspects of a parastate that operates as the tip of the colonization spear for Zionist expansion and provides the state of Israel with a perverse measure of plausible deniability for its daily mounting slew of abhorrent war crimes. Based off of internationally illegal land allocations, the WZO runs hundreds of thousands of dunams in the West Bank like a private, outlaw fiefdom, where any modicum of rationality and morality is suspended in lieu of the rule of Zionist fanaticism. It grants so-called ‘authorization certificates’ to privately held Palestinian lands and provides expired certificates to a degenerate class of settler fanatics, streamlining the slippery slope into the law of the jungle which masquerades as the Israeli legal system.
Dr. Miles howe
So, while Canada has recently recognized the state of Palestine, the next obvious questions concern what this state should look like, territorially, how to assist the birthing of this state, and what measures will be taken against those organizations that hinder and impede its creation. If Canada wishes to live up to its public policy statement on the matter, then it has long known that settlements are the major impediment to Palestinian statehood. Aside from the Israeli state, the WZO is the key driver behind settlement in the Occupied Territories and should be immediately – and fully – sanctioned.”
How are Canadians involved?
The CRA is currently allowing Canadian charities to fund these National Institutions with tax-subsidized funds. For instance:
United Israel Appeal of Canada (UIAC)
UIAC is a Canadian charity despite 96% of its charitable program expenses going to Israel.* UIAC funds Israeli municipalities, entities in illegal settlements, and recipients that support the Israeli military. Additionally, they fund at least two of the four National Institutions.
Between 2023 and 2024, UIAC sent $46,076,255 to JAFI and in 2024, $491,771 to Keren Hayesod.
World Zionist Congress (WZC)
The WZC is essentially the parliament of the WZO. Of the seats on the WZC, about a third are from Israel, a third from the United States, and the others from the rest of the world, with Canada being assigned 19 seats in 2025 (the first year Canadians could vote).The composition of the Israeli delegation reflects the breakdown of the parties in the Knesset at the time of the WZC election. The World Zionist Congress is political and therefore those running for Canadian representation are partisan, with ties to political parties in Israel.
At least four Canadian charities are connected to the WZC: Mizrachi, ARZA Canada, Canadian Forum for Russian Speaking Jewry/B’yachad Canada, and Canadian Young Judea (this does not include 2 already revoked charities). Between 2000 and 2024, Mizrachi sent $2,825,046 to the Jewish National Fund of Canada and $45,839,380 directly to Israel.
Take Action
These questions remain — why are Canadians tax-payers subsidizing the Israeli government’s settler colonial project? Why is the CRA allowing tax-subsidized funds to be sent to Israel’s National Institutions that are an integral and active part of Israel’s illegal settlement expansion? What will the Canadian government do to end support for Israel’s illegal occupation, apartheid regime, and ongoing genocide?
Tell the CRA to act now!
*This figure is based off UIAC’s 2024 tax return.
