Canada refuses to comment on US sale of Canadian-made weapons to Israel
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/20/canada-refuses-to-comment-on-us-sale-of-canadian-made-weapons-to-israel
Canada has refused to comment on a planned US sale of Canadian-made weapons to Israel, after news of the deal drew rebuke from rights advocates who argue the arms will help fuel Israeli human rights abuses against Palestinians.
Canada announced earlier this year that it would not authorise new export permits for weapons to Israel amid mass protests over the country’s war in the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians over nearly 11 months.
But rights advocates quickly noted that Canada has not revoked existing arms export permits, nor would the prohibition affect Canadian weapons and components that first go to the US before they are shipped to Israel.
Truce deal elusive as Blinken wraps up Middle East trip
In his ninth visit to the region since Israel’s war on Gaza began, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a last-ditch effort to secure a ceasefire.
On Tuesday, he landed in Egypt, where he sat down with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The Egyptian leader warned of the growing danger of a wider regional conflict. And finally, to the Qatari capital, to consult with officials there.
Before leaving Doha, Blinken once again stressed the importance of getting a deal over the line, stating that “time is of the essence” not just for the Israeli captives and Palestinian civilians, but also to prevent a regional escalation.
Earlier, during his trip to Israel, Blinken said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to the so-called bridging proposal presented by mediators last week, a proposal Hamas said has added conditions.
The Israeli premier has also since told family members of Israeli captives held in Gaza that he is still not sure about the possibility of a deal.
Meanwhile, Hamas says the latest proposal is a reversal from the original framework outlined by US President Joe Biden back in May, and as Blinken wraps up his latest round of shuttle diplomacy in the Middle East, more talks are expected in Cairo later in the week.
But a ceasefire deal is still nowhere in sight.
