Liberal MPs Marco Mendicino and Anthony Housefather have publicly disagreed with Canada’s vote for a ceasefire in the Middle East at the UN Council. Prime minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government voted in favour of a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel Tuesday afternoon, and released a joint statement with Australia and New Zealand calling Hamas to stop its violence and release hostages. Islamic terrorist group Hamas, which follows the doctrine that all Jews must be eliminated “from the river to the sea,” attacked Israel October 7 and there has been a brutal war in the region ever since. But many, including Mendicino and Housefather, oppose the call for a ceasefire, given that Hamas is a listed terrorist entity. “I disagree with Canada's vote at the United Nations today. I do not support its call for Israel to agree to what is, effectively, an unconditional ceasefire. At present, that would only place in further jeopardy the safety and security of Israelis & Palestinians in Gaza,” Mendocino wrote on Twitter (“X”) Tuesday evening. “Earlier today, the Prime Minister issued a statement with the leaders of Australia and New Zealand. I supported its recognition of Israel's right to defend itself in the face of the existential threat posed by Hamas, a terrorist organization as recognized under Canadian law,” Mendicino wrote. Mendicino said “any ceasefire must be conditional” on four crucial demands. Hamas must “release all remaining hostages,” “stop using torture, non-combatants as human shields and sensitive civilian infrastructure to protect itself,” "participate in any international investigation into sexual violence involving women and children,” and “agree to surrender its control of Gaza.”“The failure of the UN Resolution to meet these pre-conditions make it unsupportable and unacceptable to me as the Member of Parliament for Eglinton-Lawrence,” he wrote. .Housefather expressed a similar view, writing on social media that he “disagrees with our vote at the UN today.” “In my view, any cessation of hostilities requires Hamas to release all hostages and lay down arms and surrender. Hamas, a terrorist organization is entirely responsible for starting a war,” he wrote.
