Canada watching for UN court decision on Israel and genocide, Trudeau says
CTV
Canada supports the International Court of Justice and is 'watching carefully' as it deliberates on an allegation of genocide against Israel, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday.
Canada supports the International Court of Justice and is "watching carefully" as it deliberates on an allegation of genocide against Israel, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday.
But he would not indicate whether Canada agrees with the allegation, or even if Canada would recognize the court's ruling if it does find Israel to be guilty of genocide.
"I'm not going to comment on what could be an eventual finding by a process that we support as it unfolds," Trudeau said at a news conference in New Brunswick.
The highest court of the United Nations held two days of public hearings last week as South Africa made the case that Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip.
South Africa said while it condemns Hamas for its brutal attack in Israel in October, there is no justification for the scale of Israel's response in Gaza. It has asked the court to order Israel to cease its assault on the Palestinian territory.
Israel rejected the genocide claim outright and argued in the court that South Africa's claim was "distorted" and that it has the right to defend itself against Hamas.
Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and took more than 200 hostage in a series of attacks in Southern Israel on Oct. 7. Israel responded with tremendous force in Gaza, insisting its attacks are intended to take out Hamas and its supporters, not civilians.
