Canada is evaluating ties with Israel after Qatar attack, foreign minister says

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By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada is evaluating its relationship with Israel after the attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar, foreign minister Anita Anand said on Wednesday, in the latest sign of unhappiness with the Israeli government.

Anand reiterated that Canada considered the attack to be unacceptable, especially given Qatari attempts to facilitate peace in the Middle East.

Anand made her comments when asked whether Canada might follow the lead of the European Commission, which said it would propose the suspension of trade-related measures in a European Union agreement with Israel.

“We are evaluating our relationship with Israel,” Anand told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of the ruling Liberal Party in Edmonton.

Asked specifically whether Canada was considering any kinds of sanctions against Israel, she replied: “We will continue to evaluate our next steps.”

Canada has noticeably hardened its line on Israel under Prime Minister Mark Carney, who replaced Justin Trudeau in March. Carney announced in July that Canada would recognize Palestinian statehood, angering Israel.

Trudeau was generally supportive of Israel’s campaign against Hamas, while occasionally criticizing actions of the Israeli military.

Carney on Tuesday condemned the Israeli airstrike, calling it “an intolerable expansion of violence” that risked escalating conflict throughout the region.

He said last month that Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City was “wrong”. (This story has been corrected to clarify that Mark Carney took over as prime minister in March, not January, in paragraph 6)

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Nia Williams)