Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he recognizes Israel’s right to defend itself following the missile attack by Iran, but also calls for “doing everything we can to prevent further escalation towards war more widespread in the region.
“We need to see civilians protected. We need to have more humanitarian aid going to Gaza and Lebanon,” he said Wednesday on his way to his caucus meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
As his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, expressed on Tuesday, Mr. Trudeau reiterated that Canada condemns Tehran’s offensive “unreservedly”.
“This is yet another action by a regime that supports terrorism, which endangers not only peace in the region, but stability and the protection of civilians almost everywhere,” continued the Prime Minister.
He continues to call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, as well as in Gaza, although he agrees that Israel will retaliate in order to defend itself following the Iranian attack.
Iran said it fired Tuesday’s missiles in retaliation for attacks that killed leaders of Hezbollah, Hamas and the Iranian army.
Mr. Trudeau specified that he spoke Wednesday morning with the other G7 leaders. He did not answer journalists’ questions and simply made his statement.
Mme Joly summarized Canada’s role as “ensuring that there is no widespread war in the Middle East.”
“So in the circumstances we will continue to do the necessary diplomatic work,” she said.
Asked how far Israel can go in its response without it leading to an even stronger conflagration in the region, Ms.me Joly responded that “that’s the big question.”
“This is why we will continue to work with the different G7 countries, with also the different Arab countries and of course with Israel to ensure that there is no generalized war,” she said. concluded.