Foreign Affairs Committee on Dec. 6th, 2023

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Absolutely.

Mr. Lévêque, we'll start off with you. You have five minutes, after which we will go to Monsieur Beaulieu.

[Alexandre Lévêque]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair and members of the committee.

I want to thank you for the invitation to brief the committee today on recent events in Israel, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The situation is developing quickly, and I will focus on how the conflict is evolving and Canada's response.

While there had been a pause in hostilities from November 22 to November 29, the agreement expired last Friday, and sadly, fighting has resumed. The seven-day truce had been a positive step in the right direction that enabled the release of 110 hostages and allowed many families to be reunited. The pause also permitted the accelerated delivery of humanitarian assistance into Gaza, including fuel and cooking oil, as well as food, water and medical supplies. As the Prime Minister has stated, the Government of Canada is urging maximum restraint and is calling for more pauses in hostilities. An increased, sustained and unimpeded delivery of aid into Gaza is critically urgent, as is the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas.

Canada continues to engage with its partners in the region and around the world.

We have underscored the fact that we support Israel's right under international law to defend itself against Hamas's terrorist acts.

As the government has stated both publicly and privately, Israel must defend itself in accordance with the rules of international humanitarian law. The first such rule is the protection of civilians. All actors must comply with international humanitarian law.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains a significant concern for the government. The latest reports indicate that nearly 1.8 million Palestinians have been displaced from their homes since October 7. It is estimated that at least 15,000 have been killed, a large portion of whom are civilians and children. It is impossible for us to independently verify those figures, but there's no doubt that many innocent Palestinian civilians continue to suffer deeply.

The humanitarian assistance that has been allowed into Gaza thus far is progress. However, it is clear that much more is needed to address the urgent humanitarian needs of Palestinian civilians. Canadian officials continue to call on all parties to ensure the continued safe, unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid, including food, fuel, water and medicine, into Gaza so that life-saving assistance reaches those who need it most.

Canada remains one of the largest contributors of humanitarian and development assistance to vulnerable Palestinians, with an average spend of $55 million per year. With regard to the current crisis in Gaza, Canada's contribution stands at $60 million, including a matching fund of $13.7 million that leveraged the generosity of Canadians.

All our funding to support Palestinians goes through trusted partner organizations, such as UN agencies and the Turkish Red Crescent, to name a couple. We will support their efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance while ensuring that none of the funding goes into the hands of Hamas.

Canada exercises enhanced due diligence for all humanitarian and development assistance funding for Palestinians. This effort includes a systematic screening process and strong anti-terrorism provisions in funding agreements. It is critical that we emphasize that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people, nor their legitimate aspirations. It has not advanced the well-being of the people it claims to represent. It chose to attack Israel, where it committed atrocities, murdered innocent civilians and took hostages, in total violation of all international laws and norms. Hamas is a terrorist organization.

Turning briefly to the broader region, it is essential that this conflict not become regionalized and spread to neighbouring areas. In this respect, Iran's rhetoric in support of Hamas, statements by the terrorist group Hezbollah and the launching of rockets into and towards Israel and American forces by actors affiliated with Iran and Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen are all deeply concerning.

Canadian representatives at all levels are continuing to work with our partners in the region and around the world to deal with the situation.

The government remains determined to enforce international law and support the right of Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security.

In closing, we will continue to support a two-state solution as the long-standing and internationally agreed means to achieve this outcome.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you very much, Mr. Lévêque.

We will now go to Monsieur Beaulieu. You have five minutes as well.

[His Excellency Sébastien Beaulieu, Director General and Chief Security Officer, Security and Emergency Management, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development]

Good evening.

Since October 7, our staff in Ottawa and missions on the ground in Tel Aviv, Ramallah, Amman, Cairo, Beirut and Athens have been responding to and assisting Canadians, permanent residents and their immediate families.

Since the last briefing to this committee on October 23, a number of developments on Canada's consular and emergency response have happened, and I am pleased to update you today.

The recent pause mentioned by my colleague also entailed a suspension of the daily movement of foreign nationals out of Gaza, including Canadians, but these movements of foreign nationals have since resumed. Close to 150 Canadians, permanent residents and their immediate family members have left Gaza since Saturday. I'm pleased to report that another seven left Gaza today. Overall, that's over 600 Canadian PRs and immediate family members who have been able to leave Gaza since November 1.

Canada's efforts support one of the largest ongoing operations in Gaza to evacuate foreign nationals, by the numbers. Only Egypt, Jordan, Russia and the United States have evacuated more of their nationals than Canada. We've evacuated more people than any other European country. In terms of our interactions with Canadians, we've received over 15,000 calls.

Behind those numbers, most importantly, are the people we're helping. My team members and their colleagues across the network are proud of the work they're doing even though it's often difficult, and they celebrate every successful evacuation from Gaza.

The last briefing of this committee was on October 23, which also coincided with the last scheduled assisted departure flight from Tel Aviv, which brought us to a total of 1,661 assisted departures by air.

Turning to the West Bank, we've also supported assisted departure options from the West Bank for close to 80 people into Jordan.

With respect to the Gaza Strip, the Rafah crossing is the only way out of Gaza. Since November 1, over 600 Canadian permanent residents and their immediate family members have been able to leave Gaza. Our team in Cairo is in position every day, waiting on the other side of the border crossing to welcome citizens, permanent residents and their family members who manage to get out. They're there to offer them essential goods, transport them to Cairo, procure medical assistance if necessary, provide consular assistance and help with documents, and provide any other support needed depending on the circumstances.

About 200 Canadians still in the Gaza Strip have asked us to help them get out. We are working very hard to make that happen. It's a complex operation. Just getting to Rafah takes considerable effort. People first have to get permission from local authorities. Ultimately, we have no control over who is allowed to leave Gaza or who is allowed to enter Egypt. We know that all of our nationals are coping with extremely difficult situations, and we are doing everything in our power to help them get out.

As in all other crises of this kind, our emergency response and evacuation efforts are focused on Canadians, permanent residents and their family members, as defined in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Because of that definition, Canada has one of the largest contingents of evacuees in Gaza.

I'm happy to answer your questions.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you very much.

We will now go to the members for questions.

We start off with MP Chong. You have six minutes.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to our witnesses for appearing.

We all watched the horrific atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7 against some 1,200 Israeli civilians. Not only were they killed by Hamas, but many of them were also brutally tortured, mutilated and raped. In addition, more than 200 Israeli and other citizens were taken hostage.

You mentioned in your opening remarks that the Government of Canada assesses that these hostage-takings of some 200 civilians are a violation of international law. The fourth Geneva convention and the 1977 Geneva convention make it clear that the taking of civilian hostages is strictly forbidden at all times and by all parties and constitutes war crimes. In fact, the conventions refer to “grave breaches” of international law.

In addition to the government assessing that these hostage-takings were violations of international law, does the Government of Canada assess that these hostage-takings constitute war crimes?

[Alexandre Lévêque]

These are matters of extreme gravity that we take with the utmost seriousness.

What I would say is that when it comes to the assessment of crimes, whether they are war crimes or others under international law, these are not conclusions that can be reached lightly or expeditiously. It would be premature and even irresponsible to make such conclusions at this point, but again—

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Some of them are Canadian citizens, and surely nobody's disputing that they were taken hostage. The very act of hostage-taking is considered a grave breach under the Geneva Conventions. Because they are civilians, that constitutes in and of itself a war crime, no matter how the hostages are treated. Would you not agree with that?

[Alexandre Lévêque]

First of all, I am not a lawyer and I can't give you a legal interpretation of this.

Yes, we agree with you that the interpretation that hostage-taking is—

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Surely the department has come to a conclusion that these are war crimes, because there's no dispute about the several hundred hostages who were taken.

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

I have a point of order.

Mr. Chair, I'm trying to hear the witness's answer to the question, but I'm unable to hear his answer. I'm hoping we could get the answer to the question.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

It's my time, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Yes, I'm saving your time.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Thank you.

It's funny how I constantly get interrupted by members of the ministerial party on this committee from time to time.

Surely the department has come to an assessment. There were Canadians among the hostages taken. The taking of hostages in and of itself, civilian hostages, whether in an international conflict or a non-international conflict, constitutes a war crime under the Geneva Conventions.

Surely the government has come to some sort of conclusion on this.

[Alexandre Lévêque]

There's no conclusion yet. No, sir.

Again, this is an interpretation—

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

That's surprising.

Maybe I can ask you something else.

Does the Government of Canada assess that the deliberate atrocities committed by Hamas against some 1,200 civilians on October 7 constitute war crimes?

[Alexandre Lévêque]

Mr. Chair, in order to make that determination, evidence needs to be collected. Proper legal experts need to analyze that evidence and submit it to law enforcement, to legal experts.

The premise is a just one—you're absolutely right—but it would be premature from a legal perspective to pronounce on an outcome of something that merits due legal process.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Okay. Let me just say this, then. I assume that the Government of Canada has not assessed that the State of Israel has committed war crimes.

[Alexandre Lévêque]

My answer would be the same, sir. We need to collect evidence, and it would be irresponsible to—

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Okay. I appreciate your answers. Thank you.

You mentioned UNRWA in your opening remarks. UNRWA has long had problems being associated with terrorism. For example, on May 8, 2008, Reuters reported that an UNRWA headmaster, a teacher, was a rocket maker for Islamic Jihad. More recently, after October 7, there were atrocities by Hamas. UN Watch documented some 20 UNRWA teachers and staff celebrating the atrocities on their social media accounts.

Even more recently, just a week ago, there were allegations that one of UNRWA's teachers detained one of the Israeli hostages. This report was from an Israeli journalist, Boker, of Channel 13 in Israel. He said that one of the hostages was held for almost 50 days in the attic of a house by a teacher with UNRWA. This teacher is a father of 10 children who locked the abductee in the attic, hardly providing him with food and not providing him with medicine.

Is the department looking into this very serious allegation?

[Alexandre Lévêque]

All allegations of this type would be looked into. I'm not familiar with this particular one, but these are very serious allegations. As I said—

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

It was mentioned in The Washington Post recently, so surely the department's looking into this. This is a pretty serious thing, seeing that some of the hostages who were taken were Canadian.

[Alexandre Lévêque]

Yes, we would absolutely look into this.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Could you get back to the committee and tell us whether or not the department is looking into this? That's because the government has made commitments about ensuring that none of Canadian taxpayers' money is going into any activities in Gaza that would be in support of any terrorism.

[Alexandre Lévêque]

That's correct. UNRWA is a UN organization. It has been a trusted partner to deliver absolutely essential services to Palestinians in Gaza. Our mechanisms are designed to detect fraud or to detect unacceptable or even terrorist activity, and we would absolutely pursue this and make sure to take corrective measures accordingly.