After the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, it is the turn of Quebec Prime Minister François Legault to denounce the Hamas attacks in Israel.
At a press conference in Montreal on Tuesday, he deplored the death of a 33-year-old Quebecer, Alexandre Look, who was participating in a music festival in the south of the country when a shooting broke out.
“There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that can justify Hamas terrorists attacking civilians. These are horrible actions,” declared Prime Minister Legault.
He added that the Quebec nation’s heart goes out to the Jewish population “in Montreal, over there in Israel and all over the world.”
Regarding the pro-Palestine demonstration “to celebrate or supposedly justify the assassination of civilians,” Mr. Legault said it was “shameful” and “unacceptable.”
Saturday afternoon, a few hundred demonstrators gathered at Dorchester Square in Montreal to show their support for Palestine.
The event was strongly criticized, notably by the federal Minister of Immigration, Marc Miller.
“I am really very disappointed to see these people who allow themselves to take actions like that in such tragic, sad moments,” said François Legault.
The fleur-de-lis has also been lowered to half-mast on the central tower of parliament, Mr. Legault and the President of the National Assembly, Nathalie Roy, announced on Tuesday.
In a press release, Ms. Roy also offered her condolences to the relatives of the numerous victims.
Furthermore, the office of the Minister of International Relations, Martine Biron, indicated that the opening of the Quebec office in Tel Aviv, scheduled for next week, has been postponed due to the conflict.
Its general director will work from Quebec, said the minister’s press secretary, Catherine Boucher.
Israel has more than 500,000 French speakers. The office in Tel Aviv must in particular strengthen government and institutional relations in the areas of research and innovation.