Foreign Minister Melanie Joly on Tuesday had Canada's United Nations delegation vote in favour of a Middle East ceasefire, aligning with Iran and against Israel and the United States. According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the resolution did not include a condemnation of the killing of Jews.One Canadian Jewish group on Tuesday night described the vote as "disgusting."“We are disgusted and frankly shocked,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said in a statement. “Canada voted in support of a resolution that fails to hold Hamas accountable for its war crimes, fails to even condemn these war crimes and fails to call for Hamas to lay down its arms and surrender.”The UN General Assembly, by a 153 to 10 vote, passed a resolution demanding “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in the Mideast. Canada voted with the majority, aligning itself with countries such as Australia, China, Cuba, Finland, India, Iran, Russia, and Vietnam.Ten countries that opposed the vote included Austria, the Czech Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Liberia, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, and the United States.Among the 23 countries that abstained from the vote were Argentina, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Romania, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.“How Israel defends itself matters,” Joly told reporters. A ceasefire “is the only way, we believe, that at this point we can get to a lasting peace in the Middle East,” she said.“Is the only reason why you’re calling for a ceasefire because you are losing Muslim support and donors in Canada?” asked a reporter. Joly did not reply.Liberal Robert Oliphant (Don Valley West, ON), parliamentary secretary for Foreign Affairs, stated that the cabinet did not anticipate any negative repercussions from the vote.“Hamas has to surrender and Israel has to feel secure,” said Oliphant.“Do you fear a negative reaction?” asked a reporter. “I don’t fear any reaction from anybody,” replied Oliphant.Canada's unexpected vote occurred just hours after MPs, including members of the Liberal caucus, joined Israeli victims' families in calling for strict sanctions against the terrorists responsible for the attacks in Israel on October 7.“As somebody who was in Israel on that day, the mass atrocities, the murder and maiming, the torture and rape of women, the burning and beheading of babies, has indelibly imprinted itself,” said Irwin Cotler, former Liberal attorney general and current international chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights.MPs who joined in support of Jewish hostages included Liberal MPs Marco Mendicino (Eglinton-Lawrence, ON), Judy Sgro (Humber River-Black Creek, ON) and Anthony Housefather (Mount Royal, QC), Bloc Québécois MP Alex Brunelle-Duceppe (Lac-St. Jean, QC) and Conservative MPs Melissa Lantsman (Thornhill, ON), Michelle Rempel Garner (Calgary Nose Hill, AB) and Shuvaloy Majumdar (Calgary Heritage, AB).“Hamas broke the ceasefire on October 7,” said Majumdar. “Hamas broke the ceasefire twice during a pause of conflict in which hostages were supposed to be released. Hamas has no objective except to eradicate the Jewish people.”“There is a humanitarian crisis going on right now in Gaza,” a reporter interjected. “I am appalled. We are here to focus on hostages who must be released,” replied Majumdar.“The assumption you have made is there is some equivalence between the democratic state of Israel and the terrorists that are Hamas,” said Majumdar. “We are talking about a conflict provoked, initiated and sustained by Hamas. Hamas is responsible for everything that has happened since October 7. Hamas is responsible for the torture these families have been subjected to. Hamas is responsible for the rape conducted across Israel. Hamas is responsible for taking babies in tunnels rather than shielding Palestinians.”
Foreign Minister Melanie Joly on Tuesday had Canada's United Nations delegation vote in favour of a Middle East ceasefire, aligning with Iran and against Israel and the United States. According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the resolution did not include a condemnation of the killing of Jews.One Canadian Jewish group on Tuesday night described the vote as "disgusting."“We are disgusted and frankly shocked,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said in a statement. “Canada voted in support of a resolution that fails to hold Hamas accountable for its war crimes, fails to even condemn these war crimes and fails to call for Hamas to lay down its arms and surrender.”The UN General Assembly, by a 153 to 10 vote, passed a resolution demanding “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in the Mideast. Canada voted with the majority, aligning itself with countries such as Australia, China, Cuba, Finland, India, Iran, Russia, and Vietnam.Ten countries that opposed the vote included Austria, the Czech Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Liberia, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, and the United States.Among the 23 countries that abstained from the vote were Argentina, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Romania, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.“How Israel defends itself matters,” Joly told reporters. A ceasefire “is the only way, we believe, that at this point we can get to a lasting peace in the Middle East,” she said.“Is the only reason why you’re calling for a ceasefire because you are losing Muslim support and donors in Canada?” asked a reporter. Joly did not reply.Liberal Robert Oliphant (Don Valley West, ON), parliamentary secretary for Foreign Affairs, stated that the cabinet did not anticipate any negative repercussions from the vote.“Hamas has to surrender and Israel has to feel secure,” said Oliphant.“Do you fear a negative reaction?” asked a reporter. “I don’t fear any reaction from anybody,” replied Oliphant.Canada's unexpected vote occurred just hours after MPs, including members of the Liberal caucus, joined Israeli victims' families in calling for strict sanctions against the terrorists responsible for the attacks in Israel on October 7.“As somebody who was in Israel on that day, the mass atrocities, the murder and maiming, the torture and rape of women, the burning and beheading of babies, has indelibly imprinted itself,” said Irwin Cotler, former Liberal attorney general and current international chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights.MPs who joined in support of Jewish hostages included Liberal MPs Marco Mendicino (Eglinton-Lawrence, ON), Judy Sgro (Humber River-Black Creek, ON) and Anthony Housefather (Mount Royal, QC), Bloc Québécois MP Alex Brunelle-Duceppe (Lac-St. Jean, QC) and Conservative MPs Melissa Lantsman (Thornhill, ON), Michelle Rempel Garner (Calgary Nose Hill, AB) and Shuvaloy Majumdar (Calgary Heritage, AB).“Hamas broke the ceasefire on October 7,” said Majumdar. “Hamas broke the ceasefire twice during a pause of conflict in which hostages were supposed to be released. Hamas has no objective except to eradicate the Jewish people.”“There is a humanitarian crisis going on right now in Gaza,” a reporter interjected. “I am appalled. We are here to focus on hostages who must be released,” replied Majumdar.“The assumption you have made is there is some equivalence between the democratic state of Israel and the terrorists that are Hamas,” said Majumdar. “We are talking about a conflict provoked, initiated and sustained by Hamas. Hamas is responsible for everything that has happened since October 7. Hamas is responsible for the torture these families have been subjected to. Hamas is responsible for the rape conducted across Israel. Hamas is responsible for taking babies in tunnels rather than shielding Palestinians.”
