Canadian foreign minister says country will stop arms sales to Israel
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas meeting with Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly in Ramallah on 12 March 2024
Michael Arria reports in Mondoweiss on 20 March 2024:
On Tuesday Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said that Canada would halt future arms sales to Israel.
“It is a real thing,” Joly told The Toronto Star.
Foreign Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Robert Oliphant confirmed her statement the next day. “We will continue to advocate for a ceasefire, we will continue to not sell arms as we have promised and continue to make sure that we bring hostages back to their homes,” he said.
The announcement came one day after a non-binding vote on the issue passed in the [Canadian] House of Commons. It also calls on the international community to work toward a two-state solution and was amended to condemn Hamas with stronger language. Prior to the vote, Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz warned Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau against recognizing Palestinian statehood.
Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, condemned the announcement in a post on X.
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Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has called on the Biden administration to follow Canada’s lead.
“Canada’s parliament has voted to stop arms sales to Israel,” tweeted Sanders. “They are absolutely right to do so. Given the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, including widespread and growing starvation, the U.S. should not provide another nickel for Netanyahu’s war machine.”