Canada voted to uphold its Nov. 20 preliminary vote in favor of a United Nations resolution that calls East Jerusalem Israeli “occupied” territory and condemns Israel’s West Bank security barrier that was built in 2004.
The resolution, which North Korea, Zimbabwe, Egypt, the Palestine Liberation Organization and Nicaragua all sponsored, called East Jerusalem – where various Jewish holy sites are – “Occupied Palestinian Territory.” It also says that the barrier “severely impedes the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.”
The resolution purports to be on "Palestinian Self-Determination" but declares at length that this right is "impeded" by Israel's security barrier, a self-defense measure against suicide bombings.
Co-sponsors: North Korea, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Nicaragua & the PLO.
Have a nice day. pic.twitter.com/y2JzfRGpIW
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) December 18, 2019
Canada’s initial vote on the resolution in the U.N. General Assembly (GA)’s Third Committee came under fire from myriad Canadian Jewish groups; U.N. Watch had launched a petition for Canada to change its stance for the December 18 vote in front of the entire GA. The vote remained the same and the resolution passed the GA with 167 in favor, five against and 11 abstentions.
LEFT: Canada's @JustinTrudeau just voted for a North Korea sponsored resolution condemning Israel's anti-terror measures after 8,341 Israelis were killed or wounded by Palestinian suicide bombings, shootings, stonings, stabbings, lynchings & rockets.
RIGHT: The Faustian bargain. https://t.co/rJEOAd6Odh pic.twitter.com/2PaR6KX7UJ
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) December 18, 2019
Canada’s UN Mission Political Coordinator Anthony Hinton said to UN delegates after the vote, “Canada strongly supports the international consensus on a two-state solution, so that both peoples can have a secure and prosperous future. This is particularly important at a time when the prospects for ‘two states for two peoples’ is increasingly under threat.”
UN Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer argued in a tweet that Canada voted for the resolution so the country could secure a seat on the U.N. Security Council in 2020; he called it a “Faustian bargain.”
LEFT: First listed co-sponsor of today's U.N. General Assembly resolution that denounced Israel for defending itself against suicide bombings.
RIGHT: My prime minister who voted for it, trading Canada's bedrock principles of fairness for a seat on the Security Council. pic.twitter.com/NzpJQ1LycN
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) December 18, 2019
B’nai Brith Canada CEO Michael Mostyn said in a statement that the vote “stains Canada’s reputation. Just last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assured the Jewish community that Canada would ‘always defend Israel’s right to live in security.’ Voting for this resolution is not in line with that commitment.”
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) similarly tweeted, “We remain angry and deeply disappointed that #Canada voted against #Israel – Canada’s democratic ally – again today at the #UNGA.”
We remain angry and deeply disappointed that #Canada voted against #Israel – Canada's democratic ally – again today at the #UNGA, reaffirming its earlier vote on Nov. 19th in the 3rd Committee. https://t.co/BHrqLZjwBr
— CIJA (@CIJAinfo) December 18, 2019
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