Canada’s joint statement on Israel misses mark: Ambassador

'The long friendship that exists between Israel and Canada is tested during difficult times'

Published Oct 17, 2024  •  2 minute read

Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen is joined by cabinet ministers, Liberal MPs and leaders from aid organizations at a news conference on humanitarian assistance for Lebanon, in the Foyer of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

OTTAWA — Israel’s ambassador to Canada said Wednesday’s joint announcement by Canada’s foreign affairs and international development ministers represents a step backward in relations between the two countries.

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In a response posted on social media, Israeli Ambassador Iddo Moed said the statements by Ministers Melanie Joly and Ahmed Hussen are part of a recent shift away when Canada had a positive role to play in Middle East affairs.

“The current Canadian government has chosen to disregard Israel’s right to defend itself while attacked on seven fronts, disregard the failure of the United Nations Security Council to fully implement resolutions 1559 and 1701, and failure to call out the use of the civilian population in Gaza and Lebanon as human shields,” Moed said in his statement posted to X Wednesday evening. 

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In their joint statement, Joly and Hussen condemned Israel for what they describe as “increasing attacks on civilian infrastructure” in the nation’s ongoing campaign to eliminate Hamas and Hezbollah terrorism from the region, and called for an immediate ceasefire.

Unlike previous statements from the government, Joly and Hussen make no mention of Israel’s right to defend itself.

In an interview Thursday with the Toronto Sun, Moed said Canada needs to set straight its priorities.

“The long friendship that exists between Israel and Canada is tested during difficult times — and these are such times,” he said.

“Israel expects Canada to be standing by its side when it’s being attacked on several fronts, when it is under fire, when civilians are randomly attacked by terrorists, be it in the north, be it in the south, be it in the centre of Israel.”

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Israel’s operation has resulted in the death of scores of notable terror leaders, including Thursday’s liquidation of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who took over the terror organization after Israel successfully eliminated Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July.

Joly’s shifting and sometimes confusing positions over Canada’s Middle East policy came to the forefront last week when a CTV op-ed penned by former NDP leader Thomas Mulcair described Joly’s stance as “utterly incomprehensible,” and accused her of being more interested in appealing to the demographics of her riding.

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Thursday marked the one-year anniversary of Joly’s tweet accusing Israel for bombing a hospital in Gaza, even though her fellow ministers correctly attributed the blast to a Hamas rocket fired from within Gaza.

Canada should, Moed said, be more concerned about the real source of trouble in the region.

“We should all focus all our efforts to address the main source of this evil, and that is Iran,” he said.

“We should unite our forces and make sure that Iran does not pose a further threat to the region, and not further beyond.”

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X: @bryanpassifiume

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