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Justin Trudeau at NATO Engages: The Brussels Summit Dialogue in July 2018 (Photo: Wikimedia)

Canada recently voted to support “the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination” at the UN. The move broke with the country’s decade-old tradition of steadfast support for Israel at the UN by either voting against or abstaining on these resolutions. Marion Kawas looks at the motives behind the vote, and whether it is a sign of change for the Trudeau government.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shakes hands with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Photo: Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

Canadian governments have a woeful record at supporting the rights of Palestinian refugees and the current government is no different. With the right of return under renewed attack from Trump’s “Deal of the Century” it is essential that activists make clear Palestinian rights are not for sale.

“Your child is taken to an interrogation room and bullied into confessing a “crime”–insulting the honor of a soldier, for instance, or throwing stones at a wall. Like you, your son was born into a military occupation and under military law a soldier’s honor is worth 10 years of your son’s life.”–Nyla Matuk

Since Operation Protective Edge began in Gaza in early July, Israel has strengthened economic relationships with its closest allies. Within days of the air campaign starting, the U.S. and Israel penned a mutual recognition customs agreement which will lift screening barriers and tariffs. Then on Monday Israel cinched a similar Declaration of Intent from Canada, while focusing on the threat of ISIS, Hamas and Hezbollah.