In a new joint statement published Monday, Canada and 25 international partners issued a warning: “the war in Gaza must end now.”
It’s a strongly worded finger-wagging — one with no concrete action, even as Palestinians suffer from acute malnutrition and atrocities as a result of Israel’s ongoing genocidal violence.
But here’s the thing: just over two months ago, Canada issued an incredibly similar joint statement. It also called on Israel to allow aid to flow. It also called for Israel to allow the UN and humanitarian organizations to distribute that aid.
In the two months between those statements, Doctors Without Borders saw the number of severe and moderate malnutrition cases in their clinics almost quadruple. Hundreds of these patients are children between six and 23 months old.
How many more children will starve between now and the next strongly worded statement from Canada?
As I was about to hit send on this latest publication, I also received a comment on this from Alex Neve, who served as the secretary general of Amnesty International Canada for two decades.
Here’s what he had to say:
“It is tempting to be impressed to see Canada join with 25 other countries in a strong statement about the catastrophic situation in Gaza, with clear condemnation of Israel's actions, and demands that restrictions on the flow of aid be lifted immediately and plans to further dispossess Palestinians of their lands (in Gaza and the West Bank) be abandoned. It is encouraging to see these 26 governments say that they are "prepared to take further action". Impressed and encouraged, except we have been here before, many times,” Neve wrote.
“Canada has repeatedly, either on its own or joining with other states, criticized the Israeli government. Canada has previously promised further action, such as sanctions, if Israel's violations of international law continued. Yet there has never been any follow up to those promises. There have never been repercussions or consequences.”
“Instead, words have been empty and hollow for more than twenty months. Will this time be any different? That is what would be impressive and encouraging.”
Meanwhile, despite acknowledging my request, I’m still waiting for the foreign affairs minister’s office to send me a statement responding to a Canadian doctor’s message.
Yipeng Ge has been on the ground in Gaza.
Over a week later, the government has yet to answer his words.
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