A Canada-Israel rift is widening over UN votes and sanctions
CBC
Israel's war with Iran has temporarily delayed a reckoning with some of its main Western allies, but seems unlikely to close what has become a yawning gap between them over its conduct in Gaza and the West Bank.
"The relationship's not in great shape," said former Canadian ambassador to Israel Jon Allen. "Frankly, it shouldn't be."
The gulf between the Canadian and Israeli governments widened further on June 12 as the Carney government took a firmer position against Israel's war in Gaza than its predecessor, voting for a UN motion similar to one that the Trudeau government had abstained on in September.
At the time, the government explained that while it supported "the creation of the Palestinian state" and the International Court of Justice's role "in upholding the international rules-based order," it could not "support a resolution where one party, the state of Israel, is held solely responsible for the conflict."
The Trudeau government also flagged concern over language that "aligns" with the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement targeting Israel.
Canada's reservations appear to have fallen by the wayside. While neither UN resolution directly called for boycott or divestment of Israel, the earlier one did demand targeted sanctions on individuals engaged in "settler violence" — something Canada ultimately did last week.
After initially agreeing to discuss the vote with CBC News, Global Affairs Canada rescinded approval of an interview request with Canada's permanent representative to the UN, Bob Rae.
The department did not to explain its change of posture.
Allen said Israel's reaction to Canada's threat of sanctions in May inflamed the situation.
"Bibi [Netanyahu's] response, I thought, was despicable. It was vile," he told CBC News, as the Israeli prime minister connected a joint statement from Canada, the U.K. and France to the killing of two Israeli diplomats in D.C.
"It was using the worst of allegations to score political points."
Tensions between Israel and Canada remain high over the sanctioning of two Israeli cabinet ministers. But under the Trump administration, there's no reason Israel would worry about the U.S. applying any such pressure.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Norway to reverse course. The U.S. ambassador to Israel invited the sanctioned ministers, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, to the U.S. embassy in a show of support.
Ambassador Mike Huckabee said the sanctions against them were "a shocking decision," arguing "they have not conducted any criminal activity."
WARNING: This story details allegations of child abuse.
It’s been hard to keep track of how many legal challenges and active court proceedings the United Conservative government has tried to quash or pre-emptively block in the last six weeks, but let’s try to tally:
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