A source of a glimmer of hope that was too short-lived, the United Nations’ call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, on the contrary, immediately ended with the Israeli government’s defiance of this injunction, even though , in fact, unanimously by the Security Council. In the face of the horror of this war, Gazans welcomed the UN resolution, reflecting the growing isolation of the Jewish state on the international scene, with great skepticism. The uninterrupted continuation of the bombings, despite this historic but ultimately symbolic call for a truce, tragically proved them right.
Jerusalem’s reaction was not surprising. Pressed by his far-right coalition partners to stay the course against Hamas, shaken by the fragility of its popularity, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not going to comply. But despite his unexpected disavowal of Israel, through the silence of his abstention in the UN vote, Washington quickly gave him the green light to transgress it. These resolutions may well be legally binding (although regularly flouted), the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, was quick to describe them as “non-binding”, in order to spare the sensitivities of the Israeli ally only half-doomed. While leaving the impression of hardening the tone, under the weight of electoral considerations forcing President Joe Biden into this balancing act.
The shelling of Gaza has therefore not stopped. Hospitals remain under siege. Famine there is imminent, with catastrophic hunger afflicting 70% of the remaining population (the death toll exceeding 32,000, a ratio of approximately 26:1 to the number of Israeli casualties). There was no lull in the UN vote. And there are barely ten days left for Ramadan, the order of a ceasefire, accompanied by the urgent entry of humanitarian aid and the necessary release of hostages, only targets this holy month of Muslims.
From these indirect negotiations between a government infiltrated by the extreme right and a terrorist group which orchestrated the anti-Semitic massacre of October 7, no solution seems to be on the horizon.
The stagnation of the conflict, which will soon be raging for six months, despairs and mobilizes both sides, even on Canadian soil. Driven by considerations of social peace but also electoral ones, Justin Trudeau strives to defend a middle position that satisfies neither of the bereaved communities. Not even within his own caucus.
Montreal MP Anthony Housefather is considering leaving the Liberal family. The elected official from Mount Royal, himself of Jewish faith, represents, like 22 of his colleagues, one of the 25 constituencies bringing together the highest proportion of members of the Jewish community. The Liberals also hold 23 of the 25 predominantly Muslim ridings, according to polling analyst Philippe J. Fournier’s census.
By trying to prevent nearly 80 of its MPs from approving a New Democratic Party motion that would have recognized, among other things, the state of Palestine — and by watering it down so that it simply reiterated the Liberal position on the conflict — the Trudeau government found itself bitterly disappointing the Jewish community. And Mr. Housefather, who could not digest seeing his team give a standing ovation to the sponsor of the initiative, Heather McPherson.
The Conservatives may dream of seeing him join their ranks and allow them to hope for a breakthrough on the island of Montreal, but the voters of Mount Royal have invariably voted red since the 1940s, not even having abandoned the Liberals during the disastrous electoral result of 2011. Mr. Housefather could also run in the next election as an independent – former minister Jody Wilson-Raybould achieved this feat for a short term. Whether he leaves or not, the simple fact that he is thinking about it illustrates the exacerbation of political, but also societal, tensions.
The change in tone of the Trudeau government, ostracizing in the eyes of Anthony Housefather, is, conversely, still considered too timid by those who deplore that the Gazans are paying the price of Israel’s disproportionate response.
At McGill University, 15 students went on hunger strike for weeks. One of the last two to hold out found himself hospitalized, completely dehydrated.
Every Saturday, the streets of Montreal or Ottawa see demonstrations in support of the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, where settlements are multiplying. Other, less peaceful, gatherings have unacceptably targeted synagogues and Jewish venues or forced the cancellation of political events.
The mutual destruction committed by Israel and Hamas is getting bogged down, embroiling with it diasporas as dismayed as they are revolted. And approaching a worrying breaking point.