Opinion: Canada’s Eroding Support for Israel is Difficult to Comprehend

Prior to Trudeau’s second-term election victory in October, there was already ample reason to be concerned about Canada’s eroding support for Israel over the past four years. 

By Henry Roth, United with Israel

On November 19th, a resolution was put forward in the United Nations by the ‘State of Palestine’, North Korea and Zimbabwe condemning Israel for illegally occupying Palestinian lands. That 164 members of the U.N. supported the resolution comes as no surprise given that body’s reflexive anti-Israel posturing, but what was surprising – and deeply upsetting for many Canadians – is that one of those ‘yea’ votes came from Canada.

Based on the U.N.’s track record on resolutions involving Israel, no one should be surprised by the sponsors’ lack of any credibility on matters involving human rights and sovereignty, nor should anyone be shocked that the U.N. always manages to overlook the law, history and facts on the ground in order to attack Israel. Yet how does one explain why Canada would throw in its lot with a collection of dictators, failed socialist states and the Arab block to condemn the one democratic state in the Middle East? Why would Canada choose to align with nations that have no problem holding Israel to a standard that no other U.N. member has ever managed to achieve.

Prior to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s second-term election victory in October, there was already ample reason to be concerned about the country’s eroding support for Israel, considering the numerous slights, provocations and animosity demonstrated by the Liberal government over the past four years towards the Jewish state.

The include a lack of support at the U.N., tabling a bill condemning Islamophobia while ignoring real and growing threats against Jews and other recognizable minorities, reinstating generous cash transfers to Palestinian groups without any restrictions on payments to terrorists and without requirements for reform of an educational system that is virulently anti-Semitic, agreeing that Israeli wines from Judea and Samaria could not be identified as coming from Israel, and having no problem nominating a Muslim cleric to be the Party’s candidate in a Montreal-area riding despite his repeated and well-publicized anti-Semitic social media postings (thankfully, that candidacy was finally revoked due to intense media and opposition party criticism).

Last week’s U.N. vote is the last brick in the wall, so to speak, confirming that Canada is no longer a reliable ally for Israel. It it is difficult to understand the reasoning underlying Canada’s increas hostility towards Israel. Therefore, allow me to pose some questions to the Prime Minister and his Foreign Affairs minister. Their answers might help me and other Canadian friends of Israel understand the basis for Canada’s animus towards Israel:

– Given that there never was a Palestinian state, on what basis do you conclude that Judea and Samaria should be seen as part of that non-existent state?

– Are you aware that during the British mandate era, Judea and Samaria were intended to become part of the Jewish state given the Jewish people’s historic ties to that region (surely you know that the very name ‘Jew’ comes from the people’s origins in Judea)?

– If one believes that the “West Bank” is Palestinian territory, why then did Jordan not declare it an independent Palestinian state when the Hashemite Kingdom occupied the region from 1948 to 1967?Wwhy were the Arabs living on the West Bank not demanding independence given that a fellow Arab neighbor had full control of the area?

– Seeing that Israel came into possession of those areas as a result of a defensive war, why should Israel cede those territories to people who want to eradicate the Jewish state?

– As Palestinians have shown no interest in living peacefully beside Israel and in the absence of a single Palestinian leader who has the courage to tell their people what is required to end the bloodshed, with whom is Israel supposed to negotiate an end to the hostilities?

– Are you aware that under international law, Israel has every right to maintain control over Judea and Samaria until such time as Israel decides to trade the territory for whatever compensation and/or peace offerings it deems justify such a concession?

– How do you justify sending tens of millions of dollars to Palestinian authorities (and the corrupt UNWRA) when some of that money goes to reward the families of dead terrorists and where most of the money ends up in the pockets of corrupt leaders?

– Are you prepared to continue ignoring the principles, values and interests we share with Israel simply to earn a short-term (and utterly powerless) seat on the Security Council?

I await the Prime Minister’s replies to my questions. With his extensive academic knowledge of Middle East history and international law, perhaps he will be able to make a convincing argument for Canada’s abandonment of a close and reliable ally.