Opposition leader Yair Lapid on Tuesday criticized Canada for deciding to stop arms exports to Israel, but in the same breath also blamed the Israeli government’s conduct which, he claimed, led to Canada’s decision.
“Canada's decision to suspend arms supplies to Israel is wrong, harmful and dangerous. Israel is waging a war against an extreme and cruel terrorist organization and the Canadians simply do not understand what is really happening here,” Lapid wrote on social media.
He then added, “This does not change the fact that we are witnessing the collapse of Israel's foreign relations because of a bad and negligent government that manages it terribly.”
“It is unimaginable that while our children are being murdered, women are being raped and kidnapped civilians are being held captive by Hamas, this extreme government manages to lose the battle for public opinion,” charged Lapid.
“It's time to have a good government here that will win in Gaza, and also win in the international arena. We have done it in the past, we will know how to do it in the future,” he concluded.
Earlier on Tuesday,Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly told The Toronto Star that her country would end arms exports to Israel.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in response to Joly's announcement, "It's regrettable that the Canadian government is taking a step that undermines Israel's right to self-defense against Hamas terrorists, who have committed terrible crimes against humanity and against innocent Israeli civilians, including the elderly, women, and children. History will judge Canada's current action harshly."
"Israel will continue to fight until Hamas is destroyed and all hostages are returned home," he added.
Joly’s announcement came one dayafter Canada’s parliament approved a motion submitted by the New Democratic Party (NDP) on Palestinian statehood, but not before the ruling Liberals drastically altered its wording.
The motion initially called on Canada to recognize the "State of Palestine", but the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
The motion also included calls for an immediate ceasefire to end Israel's military operations in Gaza and to end arms sales to Israel.
Near the start of the war, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was supportive of Israel. At the time he spoke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said that he “unequivocally condemned Hamas’ large-scale attacks against Israel and expressed his deep condolences to Prime Minister Netanyahu for the hundreds of lives lost.”
The two spoke again at the start of November, when Trudeau “expressed Canada’s support for Israel and its right to defend itself in accordance with international law, in the face of Hamas’ brutal attacks,” said a statement from the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office.
Later, however, Trudeau blasted Israel and said that the "killing of women, of children, of babies" in the Gaza Strip must end.
Before Monday’s vote, Trudeau spoke to Minister Benny Gantz and expressed concern over Israel's planned offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.