December 13, 2023 – Canada’s recent vote at the United Nations on a resolution calling for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in the Israel-Hamas war has ignited a spectrum of reactions from various stakeholders.

National Council of Canadian Muslims Urges Swift Action

After the joint statement from by the Prime Ministers of Australia, Canada and New Zealand was released Tuesday morning, The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) posted on ‘X’ that the statement wasn’t enough and that an immediate ceasefire needs to be called:

Hours later, however, NCCM lauded Canada’s support for the UN resolution, now calling for immediate action to achieve lasting peace:

NCCM emphasized that delaying the path to peace is not in line with the sentiments of Canadians, who they say overwhelmingly support an immediate ceasefire.

The NCCM underscored the catastrophic loss of life in Gaza due to Israeli bombings and urged the Canadian government to take more decisive steps. Thousands of children have already lost their lives, prompting the NCCM to demand an immediate ceasefire as a bare minimum first step.

Canada’s Shift Prompts Mixed Reactions from Jewish Affairs

Conversely, The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) expressed disappointment and labeled Canada’s foreign policy as hypocritical. The organization criticized the UN resolution for failing to hold Hamas accountable for its actions and accused Canada of ignoring Israel’s right to defend itself.

In a statement posted on ‘X’, the organization questioned the consistency of Canada’s stance, arguing that the UN resolution contradicted Canada’s earlier conditions, including the release of hostages and Hamas laying down its arms.

“We’re disgusted and frankly shocked”

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs statement on ‘X’ referring to Canada’s vote at the UN.

The statement continued that “Canada’s Jewish community will not forget” and that Canada’s vote will see a continued rise in hate towards Jews in Canada. It concluded, however, with a resolute message: that although the vote was “yet another slap in the face to the community” as it came while Jews are celebrating Chanukah, “the story of Chanukah teaches us, we will defeat the darkness – with or without Canada’s support.”

CIJA also posted later, challenging Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly’s statement that Hamas needs to release hostages, calling it “empty words” and asserting that Canada cannot have it both ways.

Israel’s Ambassador Expresses “Deep Disappointment”

Israel’s Ambassador to Canada, Iddo Moed, voiced deep disappointment with Canada’s support for the UN resolution. Moed criticized the resolution for ignoring the reality of Hamas’s actions and failing to address the root cause of the conflict.

“I’m deeply disappointed with the support that Canada has given to this resolution that does not call out Hamas for its horrendous acts of terrorism against Israelis and does not address the root cause of the situation,” Moed said.

Moed emphasized that talking with Hamas would not make any difference, and the resolution would not alter Israel’s approach to combating the terrorist organization. The ambassador expressed concern that Canada’s support for the resolution might isolate Israel in the international arena.

“Part of the aim of this resolution was to isolate Israel in the UN yet again. Canada made it a point in the past not to allow that to happen.”

Moed concluded, “There is overwhelming support in Israel for the government’s efforts to conduct this military operation against Hamas. This is what counts for us.”

Liberal MPs Express Dissent

Within Canada’s political landscape, dissent emerged from within the Liberal Party. MPs Anthony Housefather and Marco Mendicino publicly disagreed with Canada’s vote. Housefather insisted that any ceasefire must start with Hamas releasing hostages, while Mendicino expressed concerns about the safety and security of both Israelis and Palestinians.

Canada Defends Its Position

Canada’s Ambassador to the UN, Bob Rae, defended the country’s shift in stance, citing the humanitarian situation in Gaza as the primary reason for supporting the UN resolution. Rae emphasized that the status quo in the fighting is unsustainable from a humanitarian perspective.

While acknowledging the longstanding support for Israel, Rae insisted that Canada’s vote represented a response to the changing situation on the ground.

Canada’s Evolving Role in the Israel-Hamas Conflict

Canada’s recent vote at the UN has revealed a complex web of opinions and reactions within the country and marked a stark change to Canada’s long-standing stance on Israel. As the international community grapples with finding a path to peace in the Israel-Hamas conflict, Canada’s evolving stance continues to be a subject of scrutiny and debate both domestically and abroad.

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