Terror group hardens, won't release hostages unless there is an unconditional ceasefire, which Canada voted for at the UN
When Canada starts getting thanked by terrorists for being supportive allies then it’s safe to say our foreign policy has hit an all time low.
Ghazi Hamad, the senior Hamas leader who celebrated the Oct. 7 attacks against Israel and promised to carry them out “again and again”, singled out Canada, Australia and New Zealand for praise in a recent video.
He said he welcomed a joint statement from the three countries on Dec. 12 that called for “urgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire” in the Hamas-Israeli war.
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Later that day, Canada abandoned a long-standing policy of supporting Israel at the United Nations by voting for a resolution at the General Assembly that called for a “humanitarian ceasefire.” The resolution also called for the release of hostages but did not tie the two issues together.
Neither did the resolution mention Hamas since making the terrorists seem responsible in any way was too much for some countries.
In his video, Hamad was delighted with Canada.
“In addition to the other calls worldwide demanding immediate ceasefire in Gaza strip — the last of which was a statement by Canada, Australia, and New Zealand backing (a) sustainable ceasefire in Gaza — we welcome these developments and consider them in the right direction toward isolating the fascist Israeli government globally and ending the longest ever occupation in our modern time,” said Hamad.
Canada’s new best friend is the man who only weeks after the Oct. 7 slaughter called for it to be repeated until Israel was annihilated.
“Israel is a country that has no place on our land,” he told Lebanon LBC TV, according to a translation by the Middle East Media Research Institute. “We must remove that country because it constitutes a security, military and political catastrophe to the Arab and Islamic nation and must be finished.”
He added, “We must teach Israel a lesson and we will do this again and again.”
Unfortunately, this evil man can shower Canada with praise because of the naïve and reckless foreign policy that has been espoused by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly.
Instead of offering leadership they have been feckless, instead of courageous they have been spineless, and instead of being principled they have been self-serving and political.
Their actions appear to have been driven more by a desire to appease caucus than to do the right thing. Worse, there is a clear anti-Israel bias in their actions and statements.
Early in this conflict, both Trudeau and Joly were willing to accept the word of the terrorists if it blackened Israel’s name.
In October, Trudeau and Joly responded quickly after Hamas blamed Israel for a rocket attack on the Al-Ahi Hospital in Gaza City with the reported killing of almost 500 people.
“The news coming out of Gaza is horrific and absolutely unacceptable. International humanitarian and international law needs to be respected in this, and in all cases,” Trudeau said, apparently accepting the word of Hamas.
Joly piled on. “Bombing a hospital is an unthinkable act, and there is no doubt that doing so is absolutely illegal.”
Trudeau and Joly were less forthcoming when Canadian military intelligence, confirming other reports coming out of the United States, revealed it was likely the hospital blast was “an errant missile fired from Gaza.”
In fact, it was the car park that was hit and not the hospital.
And were the reports of almost 500 dead accurate? The body count “appears out of proportion with the damage visible on site,” said a report by Human Rights Watch.
If Trudeau and Joly had been principled, they would have waited until the evidence was in. That they didn’t speaks to their desire to condemn Israel and play to an audience.
Last week, a Globe and Mail reporter asked Joly bluntly whether Canada’s position on a ceasefire had changed “because you’re losing Muslim support and donors in Canada?”
Joly replied, “I’ve just answered that question. I think that the fact that you mentioned the humanitarian pause happened was important.”
Which isn’t an answer.
Having the courage to stand with Israel right now as the tragedy in Gaza continues is also a virtue lacking in Trudeau and his foreign affairs minister.
It’s easier for them to call for the killing in Gaza to stop than to articulate a responsible policy that acknowledges that Hamas caused this tragedy, that Israel has a right to defend itself and that hostages have to be released. Only then should talk of a ceasefire be countenanced.
1. Video of Hamas thanking the Canadian government. pic.twitter.com/FksFkSfVU9
But Joly doesn’t get it.
In a statement Wednesday, she said, “Hamas are terrorists,” which is a good start. But she went on to say, “For a ceasefire to be sustainable, Hamas must release all hostages, stop using Palestinian civilians as human shields, and lay down its arms. They have no future in Gaza.”
But, again, this seems to indicate that Hamas do all those things as part of a ceasefire when it should be demanded they do all those things before any truce can even be contemplated.
Meanwhile, Hamas just rejected a seven-day truce which would have allowed for the release of more hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
The terrorists’ position has now hardened. “We will only discuss the captives and conclude prisoner exchange agreements after a complete cessation of Israeli aggression and a ceasefire,” according to a Hamas statement reported by Israel’s i24News.
Not only is Canada befriended by terrorists, but our foreign policy now aligns with theirs. By supporting an irresponsible ceasefire we have emboldened the terrorists to adopt that very stance.
And so the war goes on and Trudeau and Joly must hold themselves partly responsible.
National Post
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