Canada blocks arms sales to Israel

(Patria) - Canada has suspended about thirty permits for arms shipments to Israel, including a rare move against a contract by the Canadian subsidiary of an American company with the US government, Reuters reported.

All export permits were approved before the January ban on new arms sales that could be used in Gaza, as the besieged Palestinian territory faced a growing humanitarian crisis.

Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said she had ordered a review of all contracts of Canadian arms suppliers with Israel and other countries.

"Following that, I suspended about thirty percent of existing permits for Canadian companies this summer," she said.

A key ally of the United States, which provides billions of dollars in military aid to Israel annually, Canada angered Israeli leaders when it initially announced it would halt new arms shipments to Israel from January 8.

Pro-Palestinian protests, at universities, political events, and even at the Toronto International Film Festival last week, continued to pressure the government to go further.

"Our policy is clear: we will not allow any weapons or parts of weapons to be sent to Gaza. Period," Joly said.

"How they are sent and where they are sent is irrelevant," she continued, alluding to ammunition that was to be produced by the Canadian division of the American company General Dynamics for the Israeli military. She added that the government is in contact with General Dynamics on this issue.

The issue of arms shipments to Israel has triggered legal proceedings in several countries around the world. Israel is historically a major recipient of Canadian arms, with military equipment worth 21 million Canadian dollars exported to Israel in 2022, according to government data, after 26 million Canadian dollars in 2021. This ranked Israel among the top ten recipients of Canadian arms.

The United Kingdom said last week it would suspend some arms exports to Israel,
citing a "clear risk" that they could be used in violation of international humanitarian law.