Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly called for a de-escalation of violence in the continuing Middle East crisis Monday but would not be pinned down on whether Canada would push for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas militants who control the heavily populated Gaza Strip.
At a news conference in Abu Dhabi where the minister has been engaged in shuttle diplomacy, Ms. Joly said it is imperative that Israel and Hamas act with greater restraint to avoid large-scale deaths and alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
More than 30 MPs, including 23 Liberal MPs, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh have written letters to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, calling on Canada to promote an immediate ceasefire in the bloody conflict that has claimed the lives of thousands of Israelis and Palestinians.
“Gaza is right now one of – if not the – worst place on Earth to be living,” Ms. Joly said. “That is why we are engaging many partners in the region. I think it is important that we send a clear message of de-escalation but also that we are able to also talk about peace and stability.”
Pressed repeatedly to say why Canada has not called for a ceasefire, Ms. Joly would only say that she is using her time in the Middle East to build up a dialogue with Israel and Arab countries on a way to achieve peace and stability in the region.
“We have been concerned with the protection of civilians,” she said. “That is why we are ready to support even more work on a political dialogue and that we should not shy away from a collective responsibility to talk about peace.”
At a House of Commons committee meeting on Monday, some of Ms. Joly’s top department officials underscored that Canada stands by Israel’s right to defend itself in accordance with international law.
“The government of Canada has not called for a ceasefire,” Ann Flanagan Whalen, director general at Global Affairs for the region covering Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, told parliamentarians on the foreign affairs committee.
She said the government is urging all sides to heed their obligations under international humanitarian law particularly in Gaza, “given the desperate conditions there.”
In response to questions from Ontario Conservative MP Michael Chong, Ms. Flanagan Whalen said she was not in a position to assess whether Israel or Hamas have violated international humanitarian law. Similarly, she said she was not in a position to assess whether Israel’s blockade of Gaza violates international law.
Calls for a ceasefire in the war are interpreted by many supporters of Israel as a denial of the country’s right to defend itself.
Asked by Alberta NDP MP Heather McPherson if a ceasefire was the best way to get humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza, Ms. Flanagan Whalen said conversations are continuing about different options, including the possibility for safe zones, a ceasefire and humanitarian corridors.
“For Canada, the question is what is going to be most effective in the short term in getting assistance in to the people who need it, while also respecting that Israel has a right to defend itself and rockets continue to fly,” Ms. Flanagan Whalen said.
Ms. Joly, who travelled to the Cairo peace conference on the weekend and on Monday was in the United Arab Emirates, said she is also negotiating to rescue 400 Canadians who have been stuck in Gaza.
Asked what Ottawa is doing to negotiate the release of two Canadians who are being held hostage by Hamas, Ms. Joly said she has held talks with key interlocutors, including Israel, the United States and the Palestinian Authority.
Ms. Joly welcomed the delivery of much needed aid into the besieged Palestinian territory and noted that Canada has contributed $60-million in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
She also urged Canadians in Lebanon to get out immediately while there are still commercial flights and before the prospect of war erupts between Israel and the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah, which has scores of rockets aimed at the Jewish state.
“You need to come home. This is the time to leave,” she said.
The final Canadian evacuation flight from Israel left on Monday, she said. More than 1,600 Canadians and other foreign nationals left the country on those flights.
The NDP Leader wrote to Mr. Trudeau on Monday, calling for an urgent meeting to discuss prospects for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The letter condemns the Hamas attacks on thousands of Israeli civilians but Mr. Singh also expressed deep concern about the conditions for Palestinians in Gaza.
“Palestinians are suffering on a scale we have never seen before as a result of the siege of Gaza. Thousands have been killed, including children. More than a million people have been displaced with nowhere safe to go,” Mr. Singh wrote.
Human Concern International, which has spearheaded a collaborative effort among Canadian humanitarian charities, also sent a letter to Ms. Joly, urgently calling for a ceasefire and the establishment of humanitarian corridors in Gaza.
The Muslim charity said it has so far amassed more than $7-million for humanitarian aid for Gaza that is ready to be transported as soon as the border opens.