(Ottawa) For about two months, Canada has stopped giving the green light to the export of non-lethal military equipment to Israel, concerned that the goods and technologies could be used to commit violations of international humanitarian law, according to the Toronto Star.
Citing government sources, the daily wrote Thursday that exports of non-lethal equipment worth “tens of millions of dollars” have been temporarily put on hold by federal officials since January 8.
For its part, Radio-Canada reported, also Thursday, that the government had voluntarily left pending a request to export to Israel about thirty armored vehicles manufactured in Canada by the Roshel company.
PHOTO CARLOS OSORIO, REUTERS ARCHIVES
Radio-Canada reported that the government had voluntarily left pending a request to export to Israel about thirty armored vehicles manufactured in Canada by the Roshel company.
It has not yet been possible to The Press to confirm this information.
Exports of military equipment manufactured in Canada increased after the start of the Jewish state’s offensive on October 7. In the space of about two months, more than forty export permits were approved, for a total amount of some 28.5 million.
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, who bears the ultimate responsibility for whether or not to give the green light, argued that it was “non-lethal” material – an unsatisfactory argument in the eyes of many, and which was not did not prevent a coalition from suing the Trudeau government.
His ministry recently argued that in the case of Israel, requests were treated with circumspection. “We have been cautious with exports to Israel since October 7,” spokesman John Babcock said on March 5.
Global Affairs Canada did not provide a reaction to the information conveyed by the Toronto Star and Radio-Canada at the time of publishing these lines, Thursday afternoon. As for Minister Joly, she is preparing to complete a trip of several days to the Middle East.
The head of Canadian diplomacy took advantage of her visit to visit kibbutzim where Hamas carried out its terrorist attacks which left some 1,200 Israelis dead on October 7. She also visited the West Bank and reiterated Ottawa’s opposition to the expansion of illegal settlements.
A controversial motion
Information on the pause in exports leaked a few days before a debate in the House on a New Democratic motion demanding the Canadian government stop exports of military equipment to the Jewish state, among other things. things.
This debate was normally to take place on 1er last March, but it was postponed since work was interrupted following the death of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. It will finally be held on March 18, next Monday, when elected officials return after a two-week parliamentary break.
Eyes will be on liberals, where the war between Israel and Hamas has exposed fault lines. Already, Montreal elected official Anthony Housefather, of Jewish faith, has promised to vigorously oppose the motion.
This casts a wide net: in addition to demanding a cessation of exports of military equipment, it demands sanctions “on Israeli officials who incite genocide”, but also official recognition of the State of Palestine.