Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calls for an urgent humanitarian pause as he mentions the “terrifying” rise in anti-Semitic behaviour and Islamophobia in the streets of Canada.
According to Trudeau’s statement on November 8, the streets of Canada, like the rest of Europe, have joined the pro-Palestinian rally, and outrage against Jews is capturing the country at a fast pace. The PM also mentioned Molotov cocktails have been thrown at synagogues and that there has been an increase in Islamophobia.
“This is not who we are as Canadians. This is something that is not acceptable in Canada, period… Canadians are scared on our own streets right now,” he added.
Canada has called for a humanitarian halt in the Israel-Hamas conflict a couple of times since the first attack. Nonetheless, Trudeau stressed the matter and demanded that the pause occur quickly. The need for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza was also mentioned in his speech.
“This pause must allow the delivery of real and substantial aid—enough aid to relieve this abominable humanitarian crisis for people and civilians in Gaza,” he told the reporters.
Besides, Trudeau mentioned the need to release the 200+ Israeli hostages held by Hamas immediately. He said, “I don’t need to describe the horrors. This is why we want a significant humanitarian pause that will allow us to release all the Jewish hostages… continue to evacuate foreign citizens from Gaza.”
As the conflict surpasses a month, the PM sympathises with millions of Canadians who are living in fear and pain every day.
However, when asked about the two-state solution in the Middle East, Trudeau advised that some “heavy lifting” should be conducted to gain a stable Palestine and secure Israel.
In the past, Canada’s proposed amendment at the United Nations General Assembly, which the USA and the West backed, did not pass. The amendment was proposed to mark Hamas as a terrorist group but had been dismissed at the UN by 88 votes in favour, 55 against, and 23 abstentions.
Since then, the situation in the Israel-Hamas conflict has escalated towards deadly destruction, as the Palestinian home ministry has announced over 10,000 civilian deaths.
As for the recent situation in the Gaza Strip, Israeli troops initiated their ground invasion on October 27 and encircled the entire area. The Palestinian territory, which was slightly open for foreign reporters, captured clusters of apartment blocks, every building destroyed to the ground, walls blown away, bullet holes, and palm trees shredded on the ground.
A statement from Lieutenant Colonel Ido Nehoshtan, deputy commander of the 401st brigade, quoted by Reuters, comes as follows: ” It’s been a long two weeks of fighting. It is not an operation; it is a war… It is going to last a long time until Hamas no longer exists.”
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s Prime Minister, has clearly spoken on the matter in the last broadcast, addressing the need for a ceasefire in Palestine. He said that there would not be a ceasefire in this conflict until Hamas released the hostages.
Hamas is a terrorist group that killed 1,400 individuals on October 7 by launching a surprise attack. Israel retaliated and killed over 10,000 Palestinian civilians, most of whom were children and women.
However, while all the Arab nations and some of the European countries have come together to oppose Israel’s brutality, Canada has shown its support for Israel, and the latest statements from Prime Minister Trudeau indicate concern for Jewish people while also mentioning the need for a humanitarian pause in favour of the Palestinian people.
