Canada's 'arms embargo' on Israel: Foreign policy theater for domestic audiences - analysis

• Published date: 20 March 2024
• Author: MICHAEL STARR
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Joly told the Toronto Star on Tuesday that a weapons ban policy was a "real thing."

Jewish organizations and Conservative Party politicians have slammed the move as rewarding Hamas and abandoning an ally. Jewish Liberal Party Member of Parliament for Mount Royal Anthony Housefather has told Canadian media that he is "thinking" about his future with the caucus. The New Democratic Party, who submitted the motion, are crowing about victory and forcing the Liberal Party to submit to their demands.

While news about what NDP and pro-Palestinian supporters are inflammatory or exciting, based on what the Liberal Party has said, little has changed. There was already in practice a degree of an arms 'ban" policy on Israel, and this is just a formalization of a restriction of dubious effect.

In all likelihood, this is not a major policy shift. Still, foreign policy red meat is thrown to the NDP tiger to keep them sated so they won't turn on the Liberal government's shaky minority government.

During the debate on the motion, Joly emphasized that Canada had already limited arms trade with Israel. Global Affairs Canada issues permits for military goods and trade.

"In terms of exporting controlled merchandise to Israel, I'd like to reiterate that Canada already has a very strict export permit system, and every request is examined case by case," said Joly. "Since October 7, we have not approved any permits for lethal products, and given the rapid change in the situation on the ground, we have not approved any permits since January 8."

If this is to be believed, Canada has not approved new permits for what they deemed "lethal" products for almost half a year, and new permits for "Non-lethal" products have not been approved for almost three months.

There is also the question of whether this policy suspends any permits already approved and trade deals in process.

The opposition motion initially called for Ottawa to "suspend all trade in military goods and technology with Israel and increase efforts to stop the illegal trade of arms, including to Hamas."

Last-minute amendments

Controversial last-minute amendments by the Liberal party -- agreed on with the NDP --- changed this to "cease the further authorization and transfer of arms exports to Israel to ensure compliance with Canada's arms export regime and increase efforts to stop the illegal trade of arms, including to Hamas."

If the Liberal government's policy indeed follows the non-binding motion, then the mention of...