Canada abstained Wednesday from a high-profile United Nations vote demanding that Israel end its B次元官网网址渦nlawful presenceB次元官网网址� in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank within a year.
The decision follows a shift in how Ottawa votes at the UN, and it alarmed a prominent Israel advocacy group while earning criticism from two Liberal MPs.
B次元官网网址淲e cannot support a resolution where one party, the State of Israel, is held solely responsible for the conflict,B次元官网网址� CanadaB次元官网网址檚 ambassador to the United Nations, Bob Rae, told the General Assembly.
The State of Palestine brought the non-binding motion, which passed 124-14; Canada was among 43 abstentions. The resolution was based on a non-binding ruling by the top United Nations court in July that said IsraelB次元官网网址檚 presence in the Palestinian territories is unlawful and must end.
The motion pertained to IsraelB次元官网网址檚 decades of occupation in the West Bank, as well as its war against Hamas in Gaza. It comes as the first anniversary of the war approaches and as violence in the West Bank reaches new highs.
Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN ambassador, called the vote a turning point B次元官网网址渋n our struggle for freedom and justice.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚t sends a clear message that IsraelB次元官网网址檚 occupation must end as soon as possible and that the Palestinian peopleB次元官网网址檚 right to self-determination must be realized,B次元官网网址� he said.
IsraelB次元官网网址檚 UN Ambassador, Danny Danon, slammed the vote as B次元官网网址渁 shameful decision that backs the Palestinian AuthorityB次元官网网址檚 diplomatic terrorism.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚nstead of marking the anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre by condemning Hamas and calling for the release of all 101 of the remaining hostages, the General Assembly continues to dance to the music of the Palestinian Authority,B次元官网网址� Danon said.
Rae said Canada abstained despite agreeing that Israel is illegally occupying Palestinian territories, because the resolution calls for isolating Israel and contains language around boycotting the country, which he said will not lead to peace.
He said the violence in Israel and the territories it occupies is B次元官网网址渁 conflict where everyone in this room knows that many other states and non-state actors are also directly involved.B次元官网网址�
While the resolution is not legally binding, the extent of its support reflects world opinion. There are no vetoes in the General Assembly, unlike in the 15-member Security Council.
The resolution also demands the withdrawal of all Israeli forces and the evacuation of settlers from the occupied Palestinian territories B次元官网网址渨ithout delay.B次元官网网址� And it urges countries to impose sanctions on those responsible for maintaining IsraelB次元官网网址檚 presence in the territories and halt arms exports to Israel if theyB次元官网网址檙e suspected of being used there.
In addition, the resolution calls for Israel to pay reparations to Palestinians for the damage caused by its occupation and urges countries to take steps to prevent trade or investments that maintain IsraelB次元官网网址檚 presence in the territories.
Liberal MPs Anthony Housefather and Marco Mendicino said Canada should have voted against the B次元官网网址渂latantly one-sidedB次元官网网址� resolution, arguing the abstention doesnB次元官网网址檛 advance conditions for peace or adequately recognize IsraelB次元官网网址檚 right to exist.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs argued that Canada on Wednesday violated a statement RaeB次元官网网址檚 delegation issued last November, which said Canada would vote down motions unfairly targeting Israel.
B次元官网网址淐anada reiterates the importance of a fair-minded approach at the United Nations and will continue to vote B次元官网网址榥oB次元官网网址� on resolutions that do not address the complexities of the issues or seek to address the actions and responsibilities of all parties, including the destructive role of terrorist organizations like Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah,B次元官网网址� the Nov. 9, 2023 statement reads.
That statement was issued as Canada abstained on a motion calling for an B次元官网网址渋mmediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truceB次元官网网址� in Gaza. Analysts noted Canada has generally voted against UN motions focusing on Israel, as the U.S. continues to do.
A month later, Canada broke with tradition by voting in favour of a UN motion seeking an B次元官网网址渋mmediate ceasefireB次元官网网址� without specifically condemning Hamas.
Reacting to WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 vote, CIJA argued Canada is rewarding Hamas by abstaining and not voting against the motion. B次元官网网址淐anada broke its promise and put political expediency before principle,B次元官网网址� the group wrote in a statement.
The International Court of Justice ruling that spawned the motion was a sweeping condemnation of IsraelB次元官网网址檚 rule over the lands it captured during the 1967 war. It said Israel had no right to sovereignty over the territories and was violating international laws against acquiring the lands by force.
Rae argued WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 resolution B次元官网网址済oes well beyond the ICJ advisory opinion.B次元官网网址�
The motion asks UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to submit a report to the General Assembly within three months of putting the resolution in place, B次元官网网址渋ncluding any actions taken by Israel, other states and international organizations, including the United Nations.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲e fully abide by the decisions of the International Court of Justice,B次元官网网址� Guterres told reporters. B次元官网网址淚 will implement any decision of the General Assembly in that regard.B次元官网网址�
Meanwhile, Canada laid sanctions Wednesday against people with B次元官网网址渞oles in HamasB次元官网网址檚 financial networkB次元官网网址� as well as B次元官网网址渆xtremistB次元官网网址� Israeli settlers.
