TRENTON, Canada

A program to grant temporary visas to Palestinians with families in Canada has been a “failure,” Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Wednesday.

Canada opened the door to a thousand Palestinians, but on Monday, only 14 were approved out of 984 candidates, because the latter cannot leave Gaza to undergo a selection stage in Egypt.

“This is a program that we knew from the start could be a failure,” Miller said. “So far it’s been a failure, and I think that’s something we need to recognize.”

The pathway, as it is called, opened in January with the initial goal of bringing 1,000 Palestinians to Canada sponsored by their immediate family.

The quota was quickly filled, but there was little movement because the exit from Gaza is controlled by Israel and Egypt.

“The Government of Canada has proposed to local authorities for approval the names of individuals who have successfully completed preliminary eligibility and admissibility screenings, but does not ultimately decide who can leave,” said a spokesperson. word of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in an email to Global News.

“Fourteen people who left Gaza on their own and whose (temporary resident visa) applications were in progress were able to submit their biometric data and complete their applications.”

Miller said the motion approved Tuesday by the government to suspend arms exports to Israel and emphasize the need for a two-state solution does not bode well for the Palestinian immigration program.​​​​​​

“Passing this motion doesn’t help get people out,” he said. “Any action considered unfavorable may affect their (Israeli) decision-making at the highest political level.”

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