The federal government’s decision to back a UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict without certain conditions has prompted a mix of reactions from Liberal MPs.
Some say they hope it will bring about peace. Others say it amounts to Canada abandoning Israel while it’s at war with extremists.
Some Liberal MPs take issue with the wording of the UN resolution, which demands an immediate humanitarian ceasefire but does not explicitly call on Hamas to lay down its arms.
The resolution stipulates that “all parties” should “comply with their obligations under international law.”
But Hamas — a militant group that has been labelled a terrorist organization by a number of Western countries, including Canada — doesn’t adhere to international law. Some supporters of Israel have said the language of the resolution imposes an unfair burden on the country.
In fact, the resolution doesn’t even mention the word “Hamas.” It also doesn’t rule out allowing Hamas to participate in future governments in the Gaza Strip.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly defended the vote, saying there must be an end to “the cycle of violence” that has killed many innocents and left an untold number of Palestinians without water, food, fuel, medicine or shelter.
Bob Rae, Canada’s ambassador to the UN, said Canada is “alarmed at the diminishing safe space for civilians” in Gaza as Israel pushes further into the south of that territory in its efforts to destroy Hamas.
“The ongoing humanitarian crisis has weighed heavily in Canada’s decision to support this resolution,” Rae said.
The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of demanding a humanitarian ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the immediate release of hostages and the protection of all civilians. In a shift in stance since the start of the war, Canada voted in favour of an immediate ceasefire.
Liberal MP Anthony Housefather, a Jewish MP who has emerged as a prominent voice for his community in caucus, said he’s “very disappointed” in Canada’s UN vote.
He said it’s “unacceptable” for Canada to throw its weight behind a ceasefire motion that doesn’t clearly stipulate that Hamas must drop its weapons and stop fighting Israel.
Housefather said Hamas can’t be trusted — it broke the existing ceasefire when it launched its brutal attack on Israel on October 7 — and he accused the militant group of violating the humanitarian pause that was put in place last month to get aid in and foreign nationals and hostages out.
“The motion was an unconditional call for a ceasefire. I do not support an unconditional call for a ceasefire. I do not believe a majority of my constituents support an unconditional call for a ceasefire. It’s my obligation to speak out when I think Canada has abandoned its traditional position at the UN in support of Israel at a time when Israel is at war,” Housefather said.
He said Israel has been “singled out far too often at international organizations.”
An “undemocratic mix of countries” at the UN have frequently “targeted and stigmatized” Israel and Canada should have held firm to its usual practice of voting against these sorts of resolutions, Housefather said. Canada was offside with Israel and the United States, he added.
Housefather avoided questions about whether he can stay in the Liberal caucus, saying now is not the time to discuss his future in the party he’s called home since he was a teenager.
After Canada voted in favour of a UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, Canada’s Ambassador to the UN Bob Rae said ‘we have to try’ for a two-state solution. ‘The situation on the ground is changing. It’s getting worse. We have to respond to that in a humanitarian way,’ Rae told Power & Politics.
In addition to backing the UN resolution, Canada also released a joint statement with Australia and New Zealand that clearly laid out the government’s position.
The three countries said they unequivocally condemn Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel and the “unacceptable treatment of hostages” they captured on that terrible day.
Canada, Australia and New Zealand said there should be a ceasefire in Gaza but added a number of stipulations that weren’t captured in the UN resolution.
“This cannot be one-sided. Hamas must release all hostages, stop using Palestinian civilians as human shields and lay down its arms,” the countries said.
“There is no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza. We emphasize that Gaza must no longer be used as a platform for terrorism,” the countries said.
Liberal MP Ben Carr, a Jewish caucus member from Winnipeg, said the joint statement was “fair” because it included more demands on Hamas.
“The UN resolution fell short,” Carr said. “It did not condemn Hamas to the extent I think is necessary and legitimate.”
Liberal MP Salma Zahid, who represents the Toronto-area riding of Scarborough Centre, a constituency with a large Muslim population, said she’s “grateful” Canada voted in favour of a ceasefire.
“I hope that Canada will rally international support to protect innocent civilians being killed in Palestine, in Gaza,” she said.
She said Canada’s vote was necessary because the civilian death toll has grown to an unacceptable level.
The Hamas-run health authority suggests about 18,000 people have been killed in Gaza so far, many of them civilians.
“As a mother, it has been very difficult for me in the last two months to see all those pictures coming out,” she said of the images of Palestinian women distressed over the deaths of their children.
“This is about protecting innocent civilians. This is about protecting children. For a parent, the worst thing is to bury your own kids and we have seen many parents doing that. I cannot sleep at night,” she said.
Government House leader Karina Gould said there’s a diversity of viewpoints in the Liberal caucus because it’s “the only caucus that truly represents every aspect of Canadian society.”
“We have these tough conversations. We’re truly listening to everyone. Unlike other parties that are one-sided, we try to bring people together to ensure everyone has a voice,” she said.
She acknowledged there may be political ramifications to Tuesday’s vote.
“When you take a principled position, it may not satisfy anyone because there are very strong emotions on both sides of this conflict, and understandably,” Gould said.