Virtually 60 Canadian politicians together with 4 former federal cupboard ministers signed on to a letter, urging the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s authorities to withstand the deliberate Israel annexation of the West Financial institution, information reviews mentioned Friday.
If the lobbying succeeds, Canada would be a part of others within the US, UK and Europe who’re against the annexation, claiming it could be unlawful underneath worldwide legislation.
“We are writing to you as retired Canadian diplomats, proud of Canada’s historical commitment to multilateral institutions and its reputation for supporting the rule of law,” states the letter, addressed to Trudeau.
“As you know, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced publicly his intention to ‘annex’ in the coming weeks a significant amount of land that Canada and the international community recognize as occupied Palestinian Territory…” the letter states.
“Territorial conquest and annexation are notorious for contributing to fateful results: war, political instability, economic ruin, systemic discrimination and human suffering.”
It’s not the primary time Trudeau has raised the ire of Canadian politicians for what they see because the prime minister’s lukewarm stance towards the annexation.
In late Might, New Democrat Occasion Member of Parliament Jack Harris mentioned it was crucial for Canada to hitch such nations as France and Eire “who have made strong declarations” opposing annexation.
“Now that the incoming government of Israel has committed to a plan to annex lands in the occupied territories, Canada must speak out and condemn such action,” Harris mentioned in an announcement, Might 13. “It would be a clear violation of international law and the Geneva Convention to which Canada is a party.”
The federal Inexperienced Occasion despatched a letter to Trudeau in early Might, urging him to oppose the annexation in the identical method Canada did when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. The letter went additional.
“The attempt by the Netanyahu government to take this action while the world is busy dealing with an unprecedented global public health crisis in reprehensible,” the letter mentioned.
International Affairs Canada spokesperson Adam Austen responded to a Canadian Broadcasting Company, Canada’s nationwide newscaster, request for remark.
“Canada remains firmly committed to the goal of achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” Austen wrote in an electronic mail. “We have long maintained that peace can only be achieved through direct negotiations between the parties. Canada is very concerned that Israel moving forward with unilateral annexation would be damaging to peace negotiations and contrary to international law.”
Earlier this week throughout his every day press convention on COVID-19, Trudeau was requested concerning the challenge and he responded by saying that the Canadian authorities backed the two-state resolution – the unbiased state of Palestine and an unbiased state of Israel.
“I have highlighted both publicly and directly to Prime Minister Netanyahu and alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz the importance of staying away from measures that are unilateral and our deep concerns and disagreement with their proposed policy of annexation,” Trudeau mentioned. “We think that the path forward is a two-state solution reached… by dialogue between the two parties involved and anything that is unilateral action by either side is unhelpful in the cause of peace.”
Whereas Ganz has expressed misgivings concerning the annexation, the coalition authorities has an settlement that permits Netanyahu to maneuver ahead with the annexation.
The annexation plan, which might see about 30% of the West Financial institution change into a part of Israel, has confirmed to trigger blended emotions in Israel.
A number of Israel army generals have mentioned that “unilateral annexation has the potential to ignite a serious conflagration…any partial annexation is likely to set in motion a chain reaction over which Israel will have little control.”
Whereas former US politicians and overseas coverage advisors have condemned the plan, the Trump administration likes it.
