Countries should consider impact of their foreign policies on home ground - editorial

Tuesday’s announcement by Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly that Ottawa was suspending some 30 permits for arms shipments to Israel is a disappointing move by a key ally. The export permits had been approved prior to Canada’s January ban on new sales of weapons that could be used by Israel in the Gaza Strip, she said, and included a new decision to cancel a contract with the Canadian subsidiary of Virginia-based General Dynamics, which produces ammunition for the IDF.

“Our policy is clear: We will not have any form of arms or parts of arms be sent to Gaza. Period,” Joly said. “How they’re being sent and where they’re being sent is irrelevant.”

Asked to explain the Canadian move, Jean-Pierre J. Godbout, the spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, issued the following statement to The Jerusalem Post: “Considering the rapidly evolving situation on the ground and the complexity of supply chains, Canada suspended a number of export permits for military items destined to Israel since this summer. These suspensions are in line with Canada’s robust export controls regime and will allow time to further assess the situation to ensure consistency with Canada’s foreign policy objectives.”

Canada angered Israeli leaders when it first announced it would halt new arms shipments to Israel on January 8. Israel had been among the top 10 recipients of Canadian arms exports, with CA$21 million worth of military materiel exported to Israel in 2022.

“This decision marks a disturbing shift,” the Ottawa-based Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) said in a statement. “Canada, once a steadfast ally of the Jewish state, now risks becoming complicit in the ongoing assault against it. While Minister Joly may seek favor in the looming leadership race, it comes at the expense of Canada’s principles and moral standing.”

The latest Canadian move followed in the footsteps of Britain, whose Foreign Secretary David Lammy last week said the UK would be suspending 30 out of 350 arms export licenses to Israel, asserting a “clear risk” that the weapons could be used in a serious breach of international humanitarian law.

Then Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong told the Guardian Australia news site she welcomed Britain’s decision. “Australia is working with partners – including the UK – to put pressure to see a real change in the situation in Gaza,” she said. “And earlier this year we made clear the only export permit applications approved for items to Israel are for those items returning to Australia for our own defense and law enforcement.”

In condemning the UK arms sanctions, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it would have no impact on the war. “This shameful decision will not change Israel’s determination to defeat Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization that savagely murdered 1,200 people on October 7, including 14 British citizens,” he posted on X. “Instead of standing with Israel, a fellow democracy defending itself against barbarism, Britain’s misguided decision will only embolden Hamas.”

Netanyahu stressed that Israel is conducting a “just war with just means, taking unprecedented measures to keep civilians out of harm’s way and comporting fully with international law.”

The prime minister’s words apply equally to Canada and Australia and other friendly countries sanctioning Israel. It’s disingenuous to say Israel has a right to defend itself while harming Israel’s capability to fight its enemies.

But there is something else that these countries should consider: Their actions not only encourage others to follow suit, they also feed Israel’s enemies and inflame antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiments within their own borders.

It is no wonder that antisemitic incidents in the UK and Canada – whose Jewish communities are the fourth and sixth largest in the world – are at record highs.

'Antisemitism is toxic to democracy'

According to former Canadian justice minister and attorney general Irwin Cotler, “Antisemitism is not just a threat to Jews – it’s toxic to democracy. It’s a threat to national security, and while it begins with Jews, it won’t end with them.”

Shimon Koffler Fogel, CIJA’s president, called on elected officials in Canada to “confront and eradicate this pervasive climate of tolerance towards Jew-hate. It is time for decisive and immediate action from leaders at every level to address and counter this dangerous trend.”

In this spirit, we urge Canada’s prime minister and the leaders of the UK, Australia, and other traditional allies of Israel to consider the impact that their policies might have – not just far away in the Middle East but also much closer to home.