New Delhi: Roughly three weeks after the fiasco over the Canadian parliament honouring a Ukrainian Nazi veteran, which caused him much embarrassment and the speaker his job, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues to flip-flop in his response on the Hamas-Israel conflict.
Trudeau first condemned Hamas — a Palestinian militant group in control of Gaza since 2007 — for its attacks on Israel, but later talked about the humanitarian situation emerging in Gaza, which has been facing Israeli airstrikes and a stringent, wide-ranging blockade on essentials.
Then, he appeared to try and correct that tilt with a social media post condemning anti-semitism, and the appointment of a new holocaust special envoy.
Israel declared “war” on Hamas after it launched a brutal assault on the country on 7 October.
On 9 October, the day Israel imposed the blockade, Trudeau supported Israel’s “right to defend itself” against Hamas’ assault, without mentioning Gaza.
Then, Canada was conspicuous by its absence in a joint statement issued by some Western countries — the US, France, Germany, Italy, and the UK — that expressed solidarity with Israel and denounced Hamas.
Canada unequivocally condemns Hamas’ barbaric, brutal terror attacks – and reaffirms its support for Israel’s right to defend itself. We also call for the immediate release of those being held hostage, and we demand that they be treated in accordance with international law.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) October 8, 2023
On 13 October, after a call with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Trudeau “reiterated Canada’s long-standing support for a two-state solution” to the Israel-Palestine conflict, and extended $10 million in humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
On Monday, Trudeau emphasised the “imperative need” for a humanitarian corridor for Gaza, where more than 3,750 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in the past two weeks, while over 1,400 Israelis are believed to have lost their lives during the same period.
The Canadian PM described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “dire”.
“We are deeply concerned by the dire and worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Canada is calling for unimpeded humanitarian access and a humanitarian corridor so that essential aid like food, fuel and water can be delivered to civilians in Gaza,” Trudeau said, speaking in the House of Commons Monday.
“Even wars have rules. Canada is always steadfast in our commitment to the rule of law,” he added, while also calling for Hamas to immediately release Israeli hostages.
On the same day, Trudeau appointed Deborah Lyons, a former ambassador to Israel, as the special envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, succeeding Irwin Cotler, the first person to hold the position instituted in 2020.
Trudeau has acknowledged that “Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people nor their legitimate aspirations”. “They do not speak for Muslim or Arab communities,” he has said, while also flagging a “scary rise” in anti-semitism in Canada in light of the war.
On Wednesday, Trudeau condemned the bombing of Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, which was initially blamed on Israel but has since become a subject of debate, with some analysts suggesting it was a rocket misfired from Gaza that caused it.
I’m horrified by the loss of life at Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza. My thoughts are with those who lost loved ones. It is imperative that innocent civilians be protected and international law upheld. Together, we must determine what happened. There must be accountability.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) October 18, 2023
‘Balancing act’
According to foreign policy experts, Trudeau’s “balancing act” in speaking out on the Israel-Hamas conflict is influenced by several factors.
Discussing the reasons, Harsh V. Pant, vice-president at Observer Research Foundation (ORF), explained to ThePrint, “Trudeau’s party traditionally has been more supportive of Palestine. His party’s instinct has always been to support Palestinian rights.”
Looking at how domestic politics was impacting Trudeau’s statements, Pant observed, “In an effort to maintain a balancing act, there have been contradictions in Trudeau’s statements in the conflict. But this is part of his pattern. In an attempt to maintain a middle ground, Trudeau’s statements do not have an impact and make no one happy.”
Pant noted that Canada’s reputation has been under the scanner lately after the row with India. “They have had a terrible record combating terrorism and extremism in the country. This is why they are now pushing for Israel’s right to defend,” he told ThePrint.
“Canada cannot be seen to be too different from the West and the US,” he added.
Also Read: Israel-Hamas war: What is Hezbollah & how it became ‘world’s most powerful armed non-state actor’
Rise in hate crime
Since the Israel-Hamas conflict began, Canada has reportedly seen numerous pro-Palestine and pro-Israel protests across cities with hundreds taking to the streets, with an increase in hate crimes reported as well.
Toronto police Friday reportedly charged a young man and two teenage boys in connection with a hate crime investigation at a Jewish high school.
According to a report in The Globe and Mail, the home of a rabbi — a Jewish religious leader — in British Columbia was defaced with a Nazi symbol. Incidents of Israeli flags being torn and walls of mosques being defaced have also been reported to local authorities, the report added.
While Trudeau’s seemingly ambiguous position on the Israel-Hamas war has led to much derision, an analytical piece in Canada’s CBC noted that his comments on the hospital attack — not blaming either side while condemning the fatalities — “may have spoken to the conflicted views of the Canadian public”.
The piece says “recent experience” — including the US response to 9/11 — “makes the case both for standing firmly by an ally in its hour of need and for standing solidly by one’s principles and values”.
“And if those two things ever come into conflict, political leaders must make difficult, even brave, decisions,” it adds.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
Also Read: Violent jihad vs Arafat’s legacy — Hamas & Fatah, 2 rival groups leading Palestinian cause