Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke to Benny Gantz — Israel’s former defence minister who now serves within the wartime cupboard — hours after his crucial feedback in regards to the battle effort ignited an Israeli backlash.
In a readout despatched to reporters Thursday, the Prime Minister’s Workplace mentioned that in his dialog with Gantz on Wednesday, Trudeau reaffirmed Canada’s “longstanding help for Israel and its proper to defend itself in accordance with worldwide regulation” and condemned Hamas’s “terrorist assaults” and its use of Palestinian civilians as human shields.
Trudeau additionally careworn that Israel must take “all potential measures to guard civilians and reduce casualties,” the PMO mentioned.
Trudeau, who made the decision on the sidelines of the APEC summit in San Francisco, cited the current spike in antisemitic incidents in Canada and the 2 leaders “agreed on the necessity to tackle it head-on,” the PMO mentioned.
Featured VideoNov. 14, 2023 – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the killing of harmless Palestinians ‘has to cease’ as folks caught in Gaza’s Al Shifa hospital reportedly dig a mass grave on hospital grounds to position decomposing our bodies. P&P speaks to the World Well being Group and brings you the most recent from our reporter on the bottom.
In an announcement on social media, Gantz mentioned Trudeau voiced his help for Israel and its “proper to self defence.”
“We mentioned the battle’s improvement in Gaza, the atrocious Hamas terror assault and the efforts to launch the hostages held in Gaza instantly,” Gantz mentioned.
Gantz served in senior roles within the final Israeli authorities earlier than Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the reins of energy following the December 2022 parliamentary election.
He then agreed to affix Netanyahu’s cupboard as a minister with out portfolio after Hamas’s brutal Oct. 7 assault.
The inclusion of Gantz, who isn’t a member of Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud occasion, was a present of nationwide solidarity within the face of Hamas, which has vowed to destroy Israel.
Gantz is the chief of Nationwide Unity, a centrist occasion.
Trudeau has taken warmth from Israelis and Jewish Canadians for feedback he made Tuesday that have been perceived as overly crucial of Israel.
Trudeau mentioned “the world is watching” as ladies, youngsters and infants are killed in Gaza.
He mentioned “even wars have guidelines” — a remark seen as a suggestion that Israel, Canada’s good friend and ally, was not following worldwide regulation in its battle with Hamas.
Whereas not explicitly calling for a ceasefire, Trudeau mentioned “the violence must cease urgently” and he urged Israeli’s leaders to “train most restraint” within the battle.
Trudeau’s feedback got here on a day when Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital was grappling with an more and more dire state of affairs. A scarcity of water, energy and web service is threatening Al-Shifa’s sufferers, together with infants in incubators.
Worsening circumstances within the hospital have made it a spotlight of worldwide alarm. 1000’s of sufferers, medical workers and displaced folks have been trapped within the hospital by an Israeli assault on Gaza over the previous 5 weeks.
The Israeli navy took management of the hospital on Wednesday.
Israel has claimed Hamas used the location as a secret base. Comparatively little proof has been offered publicly to help that assertion.
Israeli forces are nonetheless looking the property for proof.
Ashraf Al-Qidra, a spokesperson for the Hamas-run well being ministry, informed Al Jazeera Arabic that, along with individuals who have been sheltering on the advanced, about 650 sufferers are nonetheless there.
In a social media put up that tagged Trudeau, Netanyahu mentioned Israel is not the one “intentionally concentrating on civilians, however Hamas that beheaded, burned and massacred civilians within the worst horrors perpetrated on Jews because the Holocaust.”
Netanyahu mentioned Israel has been offering Palestinian civilians within the embattled territory with humanitarian corridors and secure zones. He alleged Hamas has stopped them from leaving at gunpoint.
“It’s Hamas, not Israel, that ought to be held accountable for committing a double battle crime — concentrating on civilians whereas hiding behind civilians. The forces of civilization should again Israel in defeating Hamas barbarism,” he mentioned.
Michael Levitt, a former Liberal MP and the president and CEO of Associates of Simon Wiesenthal Centre, a Jewish rights group, mentioned Trudeau’s claims about alleged Israeli wrongdoing might fire up “Jew-hatred” in Canada.
“The prime minister’s remarks have been delivered sharply and curtly. The accusation of Israel killing ladies and youngsters, killing infants, it was one thing that didn’t correctly contextualize how we obtained right here,” Levitt informed CBC Information.
“All the things that is taking place now, the tragic lack of life that we have seen of each harmless Palestinian and Israeli civilians, is the results of the atrocities dedicated by the fear group Hamas.”
Michael Mostyn, president and CEO of B’nai Brith Canada, mentioned the group is “extraordinarily upset” with how Trudeau framed Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Like Levitt, Mostyn mentioned Trudeau’s “tone” was significantly upsetting to some within the Jewish group.
“Rape, homicide and brutality that should not even be mentioned — there is not any democracy on the planet that may stand by and permit that to occur,” Mostyn mentioned in an interview.
“If Canada’s place is that Israel has the best to defend itself, then it’s important to permit Israel to defend itself. It is each democracy’s job to face by these which are following worldwide legal guidelines.”
Diana Buttu, a Palestinian-Canadian lawyer and former spokesperson for the Palestine Liberation Group (PLO), additionally criticized Trudeau’s assertion — she mentioned he did not go far sufficient in condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza.
“He is taken the middle-line street, which for the Israelis means they will proceed enterprise as traditional. And for Palestinians, this implies the method of decimating Gaza goes to proceed,” she mentioned in an interview with CBC’s Energy & Politics.
“It is so essential, so necessary for world leaders to face up and say, ‘Sufficient, Gaza can’t maintain this.’ The entire level of the worldwide system is to forestall this sort of decimation. It is to not foster it.”
Buttu mentioned Canada must differentiate itself from the U.S., which has offered itself as a steadfast ally of Israel on this battle.
“They’re taking their cue from the U.S.,” Buttu mentioned of the Liberal authorities. “I might hope that Canada would separate somewhat than be part of the refrain.”
That assertion echoed feedback from the Nationwide Council of Canadian Muslims.
The group’s CEO, Stephen Brown, mentioned Wednesday Trudeau’s forceful condemnation of the deaths of girls and youngsters in Gaza is “an necessary and optimistic step.”
“However we have to see extra. Canada must be a number one voice within the worldwide group calling for a ceasefire and in addition working for a simply and lasting peace for the Palestinians,” he mentioned.
