Canada has a role to play in Israel-Hamas conflict

Canada has a role to play in the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict. That role should be focused on bringing lasting peace and security for all people in the region. Our country has a long history of being a force for peace in the world. As a nation, we are proud of this legacy, and we now have a chance to build upon it. In 1957, Lester B. Pearson, who would go on to become Canada’s 14th prime minister, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He won the award for his contributions to bringing a resolution to the Second Arab-Israeli War, also known as the Suez Crisis. Pearson achieved this peace through the creation and subsequent deployment of the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF). UNEF was the UN’s first peacekeeping force, and it should be noted that it was led by a Canadian officer. Most pertinently, that mission included a deployment along the “Green Line” separating Gaza from Israel. Frank Baylis is a former Liberal Member of Parliament who represented the riding of Pierrefonds-Dollard, Que., from 2015-2019. Handout photograph Sadly, peace between Palestinians and Israelis never took root, and the consequences have been devastating. On Oct. 7, Hamas carried out a horrific massacre against innocent Israelis, indiscriminately slaughtering an estimated 1,200 Israeli citizens and taking more than 240 people hostages including women, children, and the elderly. In response, Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant vowed that “Israel will wipe Hamas off the face of the Earth.” With the present ferocity of Israel’s response, one can assume that there will be some form of victory over Hamas. However, even if Israel accomplishes this stated goal, it is very doubtful that the war on Hamas, with its unimaginable number of collateral deaths, will result in long-term security and peace for Israelis. There will certainly be no peace for Palestinians. The climbing death toll of innocent people, both Palestinian and Israeli, will only ensure that the cycle of violence continues. In a recent article for The New York Times, Nir Avishai Cohen, an officer with the reserves of the Israel Defense Force, shared his perspective as he was called back to active duty. His words bear repeating here: “We cannot allow the massacre of innocent Israelis to result in the massacre of innocent Palestinians.” Regrettably, this is exactly what is happening. As I write this, the scale of devastation in Gaza continues to mount. Israel’s bombing has resulted in the unimaginable death of more than 12,000 innocent Palestinians. The scale of the attacks is so overwhelming that we may never have an exact count of the number of casualties. Gaza has also been cut off from humanitarian aid and access to live saving medical supplies. Statements from leaders around the world have reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself. Indeed, under international law, all states have the right to defend themselves against an armed attack. However, while this is true, the right to self-defence is not without limitation. What the world truly needs of its leaders is a determination to strive for a true peace, for all people impacted by the conflict. No one has a perfect plan for resolving this unfolding tragedy, but it is certain that peace will not be realized through continued violence. Going forward, Canada should be a constructive partner for peace in the region. We have an opportunity to build on our legacy of promoting peace and security for all. To that end, there are several approaches Canada should explore. These could include re-establishing a peacekeeping mission between Israel and Gaza, setting up field hospitals that will be secure for Palestinians, engaging with regional or assisting in negotiations between the parties. All options should be considered. Canada should be a clear and strong voice for peace, working diligently towards that goal. Frank Baylis is a former Liberal Member of Parliament who represented the riding of Pierrefonds-Dollard, Que., from 2015-2019. The Hill Times

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Canada has a role to play in Israel-Hamas conflict

Canada should be a constructive partner for peace in the region. We have an opportunity to build on our legacy of promoting peace and security for all.

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