RANT: NoW UPDATE BLURB.

 

CANADA is sending a parliamentary delegation to Israel consisting of five MPs (3 Liberals, 2 Conservatives), staff, and members of the public including Jewish leaders. The trip had been scheduled prior to the PM’s 14 November comments calling for Israel to use “maximum restraint” in its efforts against Hamas militants. The group arrived today in Israel and is there to make it clear to Israelis that Canadians support them. MP Anthony Housefather reminded reporters that Canada’s voting record at the UN is proof of the Trudeau government’s strong support for Israel. He said that he would not have used such language as the PM, and that: “People are trying to read too much into one statement….When I explain that to Israelis, I think that will definitely help Israelis understand that Canada is with them as an ally.”

IT IS TRUE that Trudeau, while he was in Vancouver a few days ago, made a tersely worded statement criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza. He did not call for a ceasefire, however, nor did Canada vote in favour of the UN General Assembly’s recently passed resolution calling for “humanitarian pauses” in the conflict.

 

Trudeau’s middle-line approach to the conflict does not go far enough, “which for the Israelis means they can continue business as usual…decimating Gaza,” Palestinian-Canadian lawyer Diana Buttu, comments. Thus, Trudeau’s restaurant forays might have to be curtailed for the foreseeable future as protestors on both sides of the issue continue to dog him as he attempts to eat out.

 

FYI: Israel is preparing to launch attacks on Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza, where refugees from the bombardments in northern Gaza have fled in large numbers. According to Mark Regev, an advisor to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israel government “does not want to see civilians caught up in the crossfire.” Leaflets have been dropped over the city, telling residents to seek shelter. But where are they supposed to go? In his MSNBC interview last week Regev said he was

 

“...'pretty sure’ those being urged to relocate ‘won't have to move again’ if they head west, towards the Mediterranean Sea. Mr. Regev said the areas would ‘hopefully have tents and a field hospital’, although no such plans have yet been publicized, and it is unclear if such facilities would be able to accommodate potentially well over a million evacuees.” (BBC)

 

IN RECENT DAYS there have been more humanitarian relief trucks entering Gaza, but no where near enough. It’s estimated that over 12,000 Palestinian men, women and children have been killed by IDF missile and bomb attacks since 7 October.

IF what Mark Regev says is true, that the Israeli government is concerned about Palestinian civilians being killed in the fighting, why can’t they be allowed to seek shelter inside Israel? Unless, of course, the true purpose of the military operation is to ethnically cleanse Gaza and remove Palestinians to..where?

 

Cheers, Jake.