The Canadian flag. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – The Canadian government has officially recognized a report by a parliamentary committee that recognized the plight and status of Jewish refugees from the Middle East and North Africa.

According to the report, issued by Canadian Parliament’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, the committee “learned of the discrimination and hardship faced by Jewish people living in the Middle East and North Africa in the twentieth century,” after hearing expert testimony from Jewish refugees and Jewish organizations.

The report added, “The experiences of these Jewish refugees to be recognized; their narrative has to date been largely missing from international discussions” and that without recognition “the history of the region will be incomplete.”

“We commend the Government for accepting the Foreign Affairs Committee’s recommendation. Today’s decision brings Canada one step closer to recognizing the otherwise forgotten persecution of Jewish minorities across the Middle East,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Canada’s main umbrella group of Jewish organizations that helped organize the testimony of refugees, said in a statement.

Under the leadership of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Canada has become one of Israel’s staunchest allies. In January, Harper visited Israel and spoke at the Israeli Knesset.