Canada supported a motion for an “immediate” ceasefire in a vote Tuesday at the UN General Assembly, a first since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas around 20,000 deaths in just over two months.
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The text of the motion called for an “immediate” ceasefire, recalled that all parties must respect international law and asked to leave the field open for humanitarian aid in addition to demanding the immediate release of the hostages.
Israel and the United States are among ten countries that opposed the motion. The United Kingdom, traditionally on the same line, preferred to abstain.
In a long statement released midday Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his counterparts from Australia and New Zealand said they were “deeply concerned about the reduction in the security zone reserved for civilians in Gaza.”
The latter nevertheless added that “this ceasefire cannot be unilateral” and that “Hamas must release all the hostages, stop using Palestinian civilians as human shields and lay down their weapons”.
“There is no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza,” they said, although they are opposed to “the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, any further occupation of Gaza, any reduction in territory and any recourse to siege or blockade.”
“We insist that Gaza must no longer serve as a platform for terrorism.”
Mr. Trudeau was just coming out of a “very long” discussion with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he briefly addressed reporters to say there was “a lot of work left to do” to accomplish the two-way solution. States.
Until now, the Trudeau government had instead called for a humanitarian truce to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid and the exchange of hostages.
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CIJA “disgusted”
The announcement provoked a devastating reaction from the Advisory Center for Jewish and Israeli Relations (CIJA), which said it was “disgusted and frankly in shock”.
“The Canadian Jewish community will not forget that, in the face of unprecedented anti-Semitism, further reinforced by the October 7 massacre perpetrated by Hamas, the Canadian government chose to ignore not only Israel’s right to defend itself , but also Israel’s obligation to defend itself,” the organization writes in a publication on X.
The CIJA assures that “Canada’s decision to support the resolution will undoubtedly lead to an increase in hatred against Jews here in Canada.”
Liberal MP Anthony Housefather also dissociated himself from his party’s position.
“In my opinion, to end the hostilities, Hamas must release all the hostages and lay down their arms and surrender. Hamas, a terrorist organization, is entirely responsible for starting a war. I do not agree with our vote at the UN today,” he expressed on X.
In contrast, the organization Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) welcomed Canada’s new position, proof according to it that “the government is gradually giving in to popular pressure.”
“CJPME urges Canada to unequivocally demand an end to Israel’s genocidal war and to back up its words with the suspension of military trade with Israel,” she said in a statement.