Prime Minister Mark Carney is willing to recognize the State of Palestine (albeit with conditions.) He also calls the situation of Palestinians in Gaza “intolerable” and calls for action by the UN. But he won’t pronounce the word “genocide”. CTIP explores why…

“The deepening suffering of civilians leaves no room for delay in co-ordinated international action to support peace, security, and the dignity of all human life,” intoned Prime Minister Carney on July 30th., noting “the ongoing failure by the Israeli government to prevent the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian disaster in Gaza, with impeded access to food and other essential humanitarian supplies.”

However, he carefully avoided calling that “rapidly deteriorating humanitarian disaster” a genocide. The only immediate “action” he proposed was to recognize the State of Palestine, although it was not clear how this would bring relief to the thousands of starving Palestinians in Gaza.

Who Says Israel Is Committing a Genocide in Gaza?

After almost two years, more and more politicians, experts, and human rights groups are finally using the G-word to describe Israel’s violence in Gaza. Mehdi Hassan of Zeteo has helpfully prepared a list of people, countries and oranizations which have done so. He has even prepared a 3 minute video citing Jewish and Israeli experts who have concluded that this is a genocide.

So, why can’t Mr. Carney say “genocide”?

At senior policy levels, there is little doubt about whether a “genocide” is taking place. So, the question is – why won’t Canada say it?

Here are some factors that must be weighing on Carney:

• Senior Canadian diplomats are uncomfortable making such a strong accusation against Israel. A powerful letter from 173 former Canadian Ambassadors urged Carney to take swift action – including a full stop to all mililtary sales to Israel and a suspension of the Canada Israel Free Trade agreement – but carefully avoided using the term “genocide”.
• One factor they must be considering is that Canada is a signatory to the International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide which obliges all signatory states to “prevent and punish” genocide. If we say say “genocide” and don’t “punish” the perpetrators, we are in violation of the convention.
• Canada has ongoing military, economic, and diplomatic relations with Israel. If we admit Israel is committing genocide those relations will be disrupted.
• Even more so, if Israel is committing a genocide – it could also be argued that so is the USA!! The USA has provided bombs, financing and diplomatic protection to Israel. There are even American soldiers on the ground in Gaza. (In fact, an argument could be made that Canada, too, is participating in a genocide by our own export of military equipment to Israel.)
• None of the G7 countries has described the situation in Gaza as a “genocide”. Furthermore, none of the permanent members of the UN Security Council have done so either. For Carney to allege “genocide” might put him on the right side of history but leave Canada with few allies in a very exposed position.
• According to recent polls, the Canadian public itself is still divided on whether Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. A recent poll by Angus Reid showed only a slim majority – 52% – are willing to make that call.

Conclusion

Some people claim that arguing over a word is only a distraction. What is really important is what is happening on the ground and however you describe it, it is terrible.

Agreed. But CTIP thinks words are also important. That is why Israel’s defenders do everything they can to avoid the term being applied to it.

Canada Talks Israel Palestine is convinced that the term “genocide” has been appropriate ever since Israeli ministers declared their intention to commit genocide on Oct 8, 2023. The Canadian public seems to be slowly converging on this conclusion. Unless Israel is forced to stop its murderous campaign, and as the horrors of starvation in Gaza get more media attention, we can expect that public position to continue to harden.

Public opinion is not the only consideration for the Prime Minister, but public opinion does matter. Not coincidentally Carney’s announcement that he would recognize Palestine as a State came in the wake of letters, opeds and polls showing that 2/3 of Canadians approve such a move.

Canadian public opinion is now slowly converging on the idea that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Months of petitions, demonstrations op eds, letters to the editor and other protests, have increased public awareness of the horrors of Gaza. Support for the accusation has risen from 41% back in February to 52% in August

Challenging Canada’s traditional support for Israel will bring Carney a lot of opposition both domestically and internationally. Does that mean we should stop demanding he call out Israeli genocide? Of course not. It is genocide and he should say so. When a significant majority of Canadians agrees with CTIP that Israel’s war crimes amount to genocide, the Prime Minister will find it more difficult to avoid finally saying the word ‘GENOCIDE”.

Canada Talks Israel Palestine is the weekly newsletter of the Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine (OFIP). It aims to promote a serious discussion about Canada’s response to the Israel/Palestine issue with a focus on the truth, clear analysis and human rights for all. Readers with different points of view are invited to make comment.
Want to learn more about us? Go to Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine.ca