Canada was drawn into the spotlight this week for its involvement in a controversial arms deal between the United States and Israel. The US authorized the sale of over $20bn in weapons to Israel while Canadian-made munitions worth $60m will be part of the sale. This has sparked concerns about Canada’s lack of transparency in its arms export regime and its failure to ensure Canadian-made weapons are not used in human rights violations.
The US-Canada defence partnership allows for the free movement of military weapons between the two countries, raising questions about how Canadian weapons could end up in Israel. Canadian human rights advocates have long criticized this lack of transparency, calling it a dangerous loophole in the Canadian arms export system. The recent announcement that Canadian-made munitions will be supplied to Israel by a Quebec-based company further highlights these concerns.
Despite Canada joining the Arms Trade Treaty in 2019, it still has limited reporting requirements for weapons transfers to the US and does not require specific permits for such transfers. This lack of oversight means that Canadian-made weapons bound for Israel could escape regulatory scrutiny by Canadian officials.
The news has reignited calls for an arms embargo on Israel, with rights advocates questioning Canada’s commitment to human rights. Palestinian rights advocates in the US have also raised concerns, accusing the US of violating its own laws by continuing to supply arms to Israel despite evidence of human rights abuses. They are calling for Canada to hold both the US and Israel accountable and ensure Canadian-made weapons do not contribute to abuses against Palestinians.
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