Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has announced an immediate suspension of 30 arms export licenses to Israel and blocked the export of Quebec-made ammunition to the Israeli Defence Forces. The ammunition was produced by the Canadian division of General Dynamics, a U.S.-based corporation. According to local media reports, this prohibition adds to a previous freeze on new arms export permits to Israel, which was part of a non-binding motion passed in January. The freeze had already elicited strong reactions from Israel.
The measure aligns with recent international actions. Just last week, the UK suspended 30 arms export licenses to Israel, citing ongoing conflicts and humanitarian concerns. Notably, Israel is currently facing genocide accusations from South Africa before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The ICJ has previously ruled against Israel, stating that its occupation of Palestinian territories breaches international humanitarian law, including the Hague Convention and the Geneva Conventions.
Reactions to Canada’s move have been polarized. The Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs criticized the ban, pointing to the country’s ongoing defensive needs amid conflicts with Hamas and Hezbollah. Conversely, the National Council of Canadian Muslims welcomed the decision, highlighting it as a significant step toward promoting peace and maintaining a strict weapons export policy.
This latest development makes the facilitation of arms sales through Canada illegal, as evidenced by the blocked sale of ammunition by General Dynamics, which had intended to use Canada as a transit country for the deal. Further details can be found on the Jurist website.