Canada to halt arms sales to Israel

The Trudeau administration will halt future arms exports to Israel, even though the motion approved by the House of Commons on Monday, which called for this measure, is not legally binding, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said.

"It is a real thing," Joly commented to the Toronto Star, following a vote where the majority of Liberal MPs and cabinet members supported a modified NDP resolution, which, according to some pro-Israel groups, challenges Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas.

The resolution in question aimed to intensify Canada's position on the Middle East conflict.

It originally called for an immediate ceasefire, with an added demand for Hamas to disarm; it advocated for the recognition of the State of Palestine, later adjusted to support for the "establishment of the State of Palestine" within the framework of a two-state solution negotiation; and it proposed a suspension of weapons sales, which was revised to either cessation or a complete ban, the Toronto Star reported.

Following intense negotiations that extended up to the last minute on Monday, causing a delay in voting by nearly two hours, the motion underwent revisions to address concerns from the Liberal government.

These changes ensured it did not stray from Canada's longstanding endorsement of a "two-state solution" as the resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Middle East.