(Ottawa) Prime Minister Trudeau supports the idea of “humanitarian pauses” – not to be confused with “humanitarian truce”, his office insisted – between Israel and Hamas. No question, however, of demanding a ceasefire, he specified.
“We must remain anchored on the priority of protecting the innocent, freeing the hostages […] and we are open to and support the idea of humanitarian pauses to allow access to necessary resources for civilians,” he declared at the start of question period on Tuesday afternoon.
“No ceasefire,” he specified before rushing into the House of Commons.
Le bureau du premier ministre a par la suite insisté sur le fait que cette position n’était pas la même que celle de pays européens – l’Élysée a évoqué « une trêve humanitaire », bien que le président français Emmanuel Macron n’a pas repris ces mots lors de son passage en Israël, mardi.
Le terme « pauses » est celui qu’ont employé les États-Unis. « Des pauses dans les opérations sont un outil, une tactique, qui peuvent parvenir [à protéger les civils] for a temporary period,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday.
A ceasefire, “at this stage, would only benefit Hamas,” he also argued.
In the corridors of Parliament in Ottawa, Defense Minister Bill Blair also expressed his opposition.
PHOTO JUSTIN TANG, THE CANADIAN PRESS
National Defense Minister Bill Blair
I do not expect any terrorist organization to respect international law or any calls for a ceasefire.
Bill Blair, Minister of National Defense
And ultimately, “Hamas must be eliminated,” because it represents “a threat not only to Israel, but to the entire world,” asserted Mr. Blair. This is the strongest position taken by a minister in the Trudeau government.
Conservatives in favor of breaks
The conservative opposition on Tuesday approved the idea of temporary interruptions of military activities.
“We support the temporary pauses for these humanitarian reasons, while continuing to recognize that Israel has the right to defend itself and take steps to eliminate the threat posed by Hamas. These temporary breaks must be respected by everyone,” said MP Michael Chong.
The Bloc Québécois is pleading in favor of a “multilateral and temporary ceasefire”, like what was proposed by the United Nations. There is therefore no question of a ceasefire like the one demanded by 33 deputies, including 23 Liberals, in a letter published last Friday.
The Bloc leader, Yves-François Blanchet, accused Justin Trudeau of lacking “leadership” since he is unable to reconcile the twenty or so of his deputies who called for a ceasefire and hawks like Minister Bill Blair.
PHOTO JUSTIN TANG, THE CANADIAN PRESS
The leader of the Bloc Québécois, Yves-François Blanchet
There is this letter and, on the other hand, there is the Minister of Defense [Bill Blair] who goes so far as to use a rather harsh word, [c’est-à-dire] eliminate Hamas.
Yves-François Blanchet, leader of the Bloc Québécois, during a press briefing in the foyer of the House of Commons
“It is necessary that within the caucuses, and within Parliament, we must be able to reach consensus,” he continued, saying he was more comfortable with words such as “defuse, uproot, render inoperative” Hamas.
New Democratic leader Jagmeet Singh is the only one to call for a ceasefire.
Ahli Arab Hospital: “Israel did not fire a rocket,” says Trudeau
The Canadian government announced the conclusions of its analysis late Saturday evening, but the Conservatives wanted to hear it from the mouth of the Prime Minister: who is therefore responsible for the strike on the grounds of the Ahli Arab hospital, in the heart of the Gaza City?
“I have asked our defense experts and our military specialists to analyze open source and classified data to come to a conclusion, and the conclusion is that, based on the best evidence available to them, Israel does not did not fire a rocket at this hospital,” replied Justin Trudeau.
In asking his question to the Prime Minister, the Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre, accused him of having “amplified disinformation on this subject last week”, of having then “hidden” and of having “refused to answer the questions “.
With Agence France-Presse