(Ottawa) If Israel deliberately targeted nuclear facilities in strikes against Iran, an idea supported by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, it would violate international law, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said Wednesday.
“The problem with Pierre Poilievre is that when he looks at the conflict in the Middle East, he is not able to say the word “peace”. It’s like a taboo,” she said in a press scrum before heading to a meeting of the Liberal caucus.
The day before, Mr. Poilievre argued to journalists that Israel would be “a gift to humanity” by “preventing a genocidal, theocratic and unstable government from acquiring nuclear weapons.”
He made similar remarks on Monday in a speech given as part of the commemoration of the victims of the October 7, 2023 attack perpetrated by Hamas against Israel and which led to the war in the Middle East which is still raging.
Liberal MP Fayçal El-Khoury went further than Mme Joly, attributing the Conservative leader’s remarks to “satanic thinking”.
“Instead of doing everything possible to find a permanent, comprehensive solution for both parties and for the creation of two states that can live in security, […] he can say why we don’t launch nuclear bombs. I think it’s outside our planet,” he argued in French.
Iran launched at least 180 missiles at Israel last week, in retaliation for Israel’s recent devastating blows against Hezbollah, which has fired rockets at Israel since the start of the Gaza war in solidarity with Hamas.
Since then, Justin Trudeau’s government has maintained that Canada recognizes Israel’s right to defend itself while calling for de-escalation in the region.