While calling for “humanitarian pauses” in the Gaza Strip, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says she is concerned about the repercussions in Canada of the war between Israel and Hamas.
“The crisis in the Middle East has stoked fear in our communities,” she said during a speech to the Economic Club of Canada in Toronto on Monday.
The head of Canadian diplomacy deplored the “human tragedy” hitting the Gaza Strip since the unleashing of “unspeakable violence” by Hamas on the people of Israel on October 7.
The Canadian government is working to promote the conclusion of an agreement allowing the delivery of food, water and fuel to the Gaza Strip, the release of hostages held by Hamas — including possibly two Canadians —, as well as the departure of all stranded foreign nationals, including 400 Canadians, who live in “fear” and “despair”. “We have a duty to bring them back to safety. This is why we need humanitarian pauses, a humanitarian truce, in Gaza,” insisted Mr.me Joly.
“The humanitarian situation of the Palestinian people, Palestinian women and children is disastrous,” argued the liberal elected official, denouncing in passing “the attacks by extremist settlers” against Palestinians in the West Bank.
“The right to defend oneself”
“Like all states, Israel has the right to defend itself against terrorist attacks. It has an obligation to do so in accordance with international law. Because even in times of crisis, there are principles. Even in times of war, there are rules,” insisted Mélanie Joly, returning from a mission that took her from Cairo, Egypt, to Yerevan in Armenia via Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates.
Civilians, Israeli and Palestinian, are “equal” in his eyes.
Mélanie Joly drew the attention of members of the Economic Club of Canada to the “local impact” of “global issues” such as climate change which fills the “summer sky with smoke”, global inflation which “gives the impression that it is more and more difficult to get out of it, let alone move forward” or even the crisis in the Middle East…
Canadian contribution
Mélanie Joly said she was convinced, in these times of “global crises” and “deep uncertainty,” that Canada can greatly contribute to building a “more stable” world. To achieve this, Ottawa will lead a “pragmatic diplomacy” where it will exchange both with democrats and autocrats – as long as they respect “basic principles” such as “respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of others” — and “defends[ra] vigorously” its own sovereignty, including its cultural sovereignty as well as the “integrity of its media”.
“With the security of the world at stake, our security at stake, we cannot just rely on our old friends. […] And we will have to reach out to new partners among a broad coalition of states,” explained Mélanie Joly.