Canada’s relevance on the world stage has only been increasing since World War II, for better or for worse. We still have far less sway than the US or the European Union, but on the rare occasion that Canada speaks, people actually tend to listen.
That’s why I thought it was important to mention the Harper government’s current stance on the ongoing conflict in Gaza. In an email circulated to party members and subscribers, the Conservative Party called themselves “the only party that stands with Israel” and listed several unsavoury labels for anyone who disagrees.
The problem here is the black-and-white thinking. Let’s get one thing clear: not blindly following Israel doesn’t mean one supports Hamas. Hamas are terrorists, and they do not shy away from that label. At the same time, acknowledging Israel’s right to exist doesn’t mean I must support all of their defensive strategies.
Israeli and Palestinian citizens both have the exact same right to life, which is a sentiment not shared by many Israeli and Hamas leaders. Hamas policy is awful, Israeli policy is awful, and the citizens are left to suffer for it.
How many Palestinian mothers and children had anything to do with bringing Hamas to power? How many Israelis signed off on the bombing of UN shelters? It may be politically convenient to brush over the civilian loss of the Conservative’s oh-so-ballsy “stand with Israel,” but Canadians aren’t stupid.
We know that there are two sides to every story. So when the Harper government calls total blind support for Israel “Canada at its best,” most of us at least do a double take.
They say that those who remain neutral in the face of injustice are siding with the oppressor. I’m glad that Canada is sticking up for something. I just wish that something could be security and opportunity for all of the millions of innocent bystanders in Israel and Palestine.