Canada Not Part of Allies’ Joint Statement on Israel

Israeli rescue member works at a police station in the Israeli community of Sderot, Israel, on Oct. 8, 2023, after it was destroyed during an ambush by Hamas terrorists the previous day. Amir Levy/Getty Images

Canada is not among the signatories of a joint statement issued by some of the nation’s closest allies on Israel.

“Today, we—President Macron of France, Chancellor Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Meloni of Italy, Prime Minister Sunak of the United Kingdom, and President Biden of the United States—express our steadfast and united support to the State of Israel, and our unequivocal condemnation of Hamas and its appalling acts of terrorism,” said the Oct. 9 statement issued by the U.S. White House Briefing Room.

The statement said the signing countries make it “clear that the terrorist actions of Hamas have no justification, no legitimacy, and must be universally condemned.”

“The world has watched in horror as Hamas terrorists massacred families in their homes, slaughtered over 200 young people enjoying a music festival, and kidnapped elderly women, children, and entire families, who are now being held as hostages,” said the joint statement.

The statement added that the countries will “remain united and coordinated, together as allies, and as common friends of Israel, to ensure Israel is able to defend itself and to ultimately set the conditions for a peaceful and integrated Middle East region.”

“Our countries will support Israel in its efforts to defend itself and its people against such atrocities. We further emphasize that this is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage.”

Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing women and children on the street and kidnapping citizens into Gaza. Israel has responded by declaring a state of war and conducting air raids on Gaza. At least one Canadian, a man from Montreal, has been reported as killed in the attack while at an outdoor music festival near the Gaza Strip. Another Winnipeg elderly woman, a peace activist, is missing.

Israeli fire brigade teams douse the blaze in a parking lot outside a residential building following a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, on Oct. 7, 2023.Ahmad Gharabli/AFP via Getty Images

Independent MP Kevin Vuong, representing Spadina-Fort York, Ontario, questioned on Oct. 9 why Canada was “excluded from this joint statement on Israel.”

“Was the Prime Minister unavailable? Was he even consulted,” asked Mr. Vuong. “A very troubling indication of Canada’s decreasing stature in the world. We were once viewed as reliable, honest brokers.”

Tory MP Michelle Rempel Garner also asked “Where’s Canada” in a post addressed to the prime minister.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office did not respond to an inquiry as to why Canada was not included in the joint statement from its close allies.

In a statement on Oct. 8, Mr. Trudeau’s office said he convened the Incident Response Group with ministers and senior officials to discuss Hamas’s attacks on Israel and “Canada’s close engagement with partners and allies in the international community.”

One day earlier, on Oct. 7, Mr. Trudeau said in a statement on social media: “Canada strongly condemns the current terrorist attacks against Israel. These acts of violence are completely unacceptable.”

“We stand with Israel and fully support its right to defend itself. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this. Civilian life must be protected,” said Mr. Trudeau.