Defence Minister David McGuinty says he cannot confirm if Canadian officers took part in a seminar hosted by the Israeli military this week amid Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
At the Halifax International Security Forum, The Maple asked McGuinty about Israeli media reports naming Canada as one of several countries that sent delegates to Israel’s international seminar.
The seminar reportedly focused on Israel’s experiences in waging its genocidal war on Gaza. According to an Israeli military statement, the gathering was held in order to “strengthen cooperation, enhance familiarity with diverse operational approaches, exchange professional knowledge and experience between the participating militaries.”
The seminar, according to Israeli media, included lectures, tours of Gaza and face-to-face meetings with Israeli troops.
McGuinty said: “I can’t confirm whether we had officials there or not, I can come back to you on that. I think that it’s important for us to reflect, and I know our officials and our Canadian Armed Forces are reflecting on whatever lessons we can learn and derive from that tragic situation.”
The Maple followed up with McGuinty’s office via email after the press conference, but did not receive a response. This story will be updated if a response is received.
As previously reported by The Maple, the Department of National Defence scheduled missile training sessions for Canadian troops with an Israeli state-owned arms company last year.
Alex Cosh
During the press conference, McGuinty initially avoided the question about whether Canadian military officers attended the seminar, saying instead that Canada is “monitoring and participating in discussions about what might happen when the ceasefire hopefully transitions into a formal end to the war and that reconstruction can begin.”
“This peace plan, which was negotiated by the White House and other actors in the region [….] What role Canada may play remains to be seen.”
Israel has consistently violated the ceasefire agreement since it came into effect on October 10. In a series of airstrikes on Wednesday and Thursday, Israel killed 30 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Further Israeli attacks, which killed seven, were reported on Friday and Saturday.
The confirmed total death toll in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023 is at least 69,546, although the true total has been estimated to be much higher.
Israel is accused by the United Nations, leading international human rights organizations and genocide scholars of committing genocide in Gaza.
The United Nations Security Council recently passed a resolution supporting U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, which mandates the establishment of a transitional administration in Gaza and the deployment of an “international stabilization force.”
Hamas, the current governing resistance faction in Gaza, said the plan “imposes an international guardianship mechanism on the Gaza Strip which our people and their factions reject.”
“Assigning the international force with tasks and roles inside the Gaza Strip, including disarming the resistance, strips it of its neutrality, and turns it into a party to the conflict in favour of the occupation.”
