Canada's Israel statement garners Hamas praise, condemnation from Jewish, Israeli groups
OTTAWA — It's a step in the right direction.
That's how Palestinian terror group Hamas described Monday's joint Canada/U.K./France statement on Israel, praising the move and calling on Arab and Islamic states — as well as the rest of the world — to take 'decisive and concrete action' against 'savage Zionist aggression.'
Monday's joint statement called on Israel to halt military action in Gaza and resume humanitarian aid, condemning suggestions by Israel of a forced relocation of civilians from Gaza.
'We will not stand by while the Netanyahu government pursues these egregious actions,' the statement read.
'If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response.'
Response was swift.
Deputy Conservative Party Leader Melissa Lantsman pointed out this was the second time Canada's Israel policy earned praise from Palestinian terrorists — with senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad praising Canada's support of a non-binding 2023 UN ceasefire resolution.
'Canada can't claim to support Israel's right to fight terrorism while threatening sanctions that would force it to stop,' Lantsman told the Toronto Sun.
'That hands a win to Iran's proxies. Hamas just thanked Canada — again. So much for thinking Mark Carney would be any different — he's not.'
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The joint statement also attracted ire from Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
'By asking Israel to end a defensive war for our survival before Hamas terrorists on our border are destroyed and by demanding a Palestinian state, the leaders in London, Ottowa (sic) and Paris are offering a huge prize for the genocidal attack on Israel on October 7 while inviting more such atrocities,' read a statement posted to social media.
'The war can end tomorrow if the remaining hostages are released, Hamas lays down its arms, its murderous leaders are exiled and Gaza is demilitarized. No nation can be expected to accept anything less and Israel certainly won't.'
Canadian Jewish groups likewise reacted with alarm.
'The fact that Hamas has reportedly applauded the statement issued by Canada, the U.K., and France speaks volumes about its misguided premise,' said Noah Shack, interim president of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA.)
'If Israel were to cease targeting Hamas, hostages would remain chained in tunnels and Hamas would repeat the October 7 massacre — as it has explicitly vowed. If Hamas were to release the hostages and cease targeting Israel, this war will come to an end. That is why thousands of Gazans are in the streets today bravely protesting Hamas rule.'
Hamas routinely hijacks Israeli aid coming into Gaza and diverts it to fund its terror campaign against Israel.
As well, the Israeli government has furnished proof that important NGOs operating in Gaza, namely UNRWA, act as tools of the Hamas regime — using the agency as a de facto education ministry, and using UN infrastructure and resources to further its goals.
Gerald Steinberg, founder of Jerusalem-based think tank NGO Monitor, said billions of dollars of taxpayer-funded aid from western nations helped build the massive terror network used to carry out the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks.
'Their erasure of the heinous reality of October 7 allows Hamas and its allies to recover and repeat the indiscriminate targeting of Israeli civilians,' he said.
'To be taken seriously, these governments will need to provide realistic solutions for preventing the diversion of aid to groups like Hamas.'
bpassifiume@postmedia.com X: @bryanpassifiume
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