New Delhi: Days after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom Monday issued a joint statement condemning the assault and expressing support for Tel Aviv.
Although they did not delve into the contextual history of the broader Israel-Palestine conflict, the five heads of state also acknowledged the “legitimate aspirations” of Palestinians, but clarified that Hamas — the Palestinian militant group in control of the Gaza strip since 2007 — does not represent them.
“Our countries will support Israel in its efforts to defend itself and its people against such atrocities. We further emphasize that this is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage,” the joint statement by US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
On Saturday, Hamas launched an attack on Israel that combined rockets with ground infiltration in what is considered the deadliest incursion in 50 years, catching Israel — and the world — off guard. Since then, Israeli forces have not only been battling Hamas fighters in the southern towns that the gunmen had taken control of, but have also pounded the Gaza Strip in retaliation.
According to media reports, while the death toll in Israel is more than 900, over 770 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in Tel Aviv’s retaliatory attacks. Gunmen are reportedly holding 100, mostly Israelis, captive, back in the Gaza Strip.
In their statement, the five heads of state said they “support equal measures of justice and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians alike” but added that Hamas “offers nothing for the Palestinian people other than more terror and bloodshed”.
The five signatories are members of the G7 group of nations and are also part of an unofficial grouping called the Quint, which also includes the European Union.
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Canada, Japan issue separate statements
The joint statement did not include the heads of Japan and Canada — the other two members of the G7. But both Japan’s PM Fumio Kishida and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau had separately expressed their support for Israeli civilians and condemned Hamas.
Despite his participation in a solidarity gathering in Ottawa Monday in support of Israel, Trudeau has come under criticism from Canada’s opposition parties for not being part of the joint statement.
Always late to the party or not invited at all.
Why wasn’t Canada part of the joint statement with the G7 denouncing Hamas?
— Ann Rolle (@AnnRolle_) October 9, 2023
James Moore, a former secretary of state for foreign affairs under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, took to social media platform X [previously Twitter] to say that Canada had been “sidelined”. “Remember the self-righteous and empty slogan that ‘Canada is back?’,” he asked. “Time for change.”
The criticism of Trudeau follows reports in the Montreal Gazette that the Canadian embassy in Israel, which was closed for Thanksgiving, had failed to act quickly to help Canadian nationals stuck in the country amid the attacks.
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)
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