Canada Halts Arms to Israel: Trudeau's Shift in Conflict Stance
Canada has announced its cessation of arms shipments to Israel, as revealed by a governmental source on Tuesday.
The source clarified that Ottawa has exclusively exported "non-lethal" weaponry since the commencement of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, as reported by Agerpres.ro.
Canadian governmental sources further indicated that the arms sales licences issued since the onset of the conflict between Israel and Hamas five months ago have been limited to the export of non-lethal equipment. Moreover, it was emphasised that no exports have occurred since January. Notable among these "non-lethal" weapons are "communication instruments".
While affirming Israel's right to self-defence, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has concurrently adopted an increasingly critical stance regarding the military operation undertaken by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip, following Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7.
The Canadian Parliament has adopted a non-binding motion urging the international community to advocate for a two-state solution to resolve the conflict.
According to Radio Canada, Ottawa exported military equipment to Israel valued at over 21 million Canadian dollars in 2022 and 26 million in 2021. This positions Israel among the top 10 destinations for Canadian arms exports.
The issue of arms deliveries to Israel has prompted legal proceedings in various countries across the globe.
In Canada, a coalition comprising lawyers and individuals of Palestinian descent filed a complaint in early March against the Ottawa government, seeking the suspension of arms exports to Israel.
They accuse the nation of violating international law, as well as its domestic legislation concerning arms exports.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
