On October 7th, 2023, Staff Sergeant Guy Simhi led 11 young people who escaped the Supernova Music Festival to a safe room in a house in Kibbutz Re’im.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired back at Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday after he appeared to support a protester’s claim that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
“Canada has always sided with civilization. So should Mr. Carney. But instead of supporting Israel, a democracy that is fighting a just war with just means against the barbarians of Hamas, he attacks the one and only Jewish state. Mr. Carney, backtrack your irresponsible statement!” Netanyahu wrote on X.
Netanyahu was replying to a video showing Carney at a rally in Calgary on Tuesday, where he responded to a protester in the crowd who yelled, “Mr. Carney, there is a genocide happening in Palestine,” by pausing and saying, “Thank you…I’m aware. Which is why we have an arms embargo.”
On Wednesday, Carney was asked by reporters about the remark and walked it back, claiming that he had not heard the specific term “genocide” and was simply referencing existing arms restrictions imposed by the Canadian government. “I didn’t hear that word,” Carney said. “It’s noisy. If you’re up there you hear snippets of what people say and I heard Gaza, and my point was I’m aware of the situation in Gaza.”
Carney, who was elected last month to replace former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, was quick to comment on the situation in Gaza, calling the decision to cut off electricity to the region a mistake, although he did not directly mention Israel.
“It has been more than two days that the supply of electricity to Gaza has been shut off,” Carney stated, adding, “It must resume. Essentials including food, electricity and medical supplies should never be used as political tools.”
Carney further emphasized that “Canada must work with our allies to stand up for international law to promote sustainable peace and security in the Middle East and to support full access to humanitarian aid for Palestinian families.”
He also called for both sides to work towards “the return of all hostages and the completion of the ceasefire agreement.” Trudeau, Carney’s predecessor, was initially supportive of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 attack. He was also a signatory to a joint statement by the leaders of several countries who expressed support for Israel’s right to self-defense, while reiterating the need to protect civilians.
Later, however, Trudeau blasted Israel and said that the “killing of women, of children, of babies” in the Gaza Strip must end.
