TORONTO, CANADA – A group of Canadian lawyers have filed a lawsuit against Canada’s global affairs ministry, alleging the export of military goods and technology to Israel during the Gaza conflict. The lawyers argue that these exports could potentially contribute to human rights violations against Palestinians. Despite the accusations, the Canadian government denies any wrongdoing, stating that the exported goods were “non-lethal” in nature.
According to records, Canada has authorized export permits worth at least C$28.5m ($21m) to Israel since the conflict began on October 7. Israel, for its part, defends its actions by citing the need to defend itself after being attacked by Hamas.
The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in the Federal Court of Canada, was brought by Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLIHR), along with non-profit organization Al-Haq Law based in Ramallah, and a group of Palestinian-Canadians who have experienced personal loss in Gaza.
The legal action accuses Canada’s Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly of approving the export of military goods and technology to Israel, potentially leading to violations of international law. These exports, it is argued, are in breach of Canada’s domestic laws and its international legal obligations. CLIHR is seeking a court order to prohibit further exports from Canada to Israel.
Henry Off, a lawyer with CLIHR, stated that their goal is to urge Canada to abide by its own laws and refrain from contributing to violations of international humanitarian law. Meanwhile, Global Affairs Canada has yet to provide a comment on the matter.
The controversy surrounding these export permits is further intensified by reports that some of the authorized permits were labeled under a category that includes explosive devices and related equipment. Another portion covered items categorized as electronic equipment.
In the Gaza conflict, Hamas gunmen attacked Israeli towns, resulting in the deaths of around 1,200 people and the taking of 253 hostages, according to Israeli officials. Israeli forces subsequently launched an offensive, resulting in the deaths of over 30,500 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza. Additionally, nearly two million others have been displaced, and the UN has warned of an impending famine in Gaza.
Similar lawsuits have been filed in the US, UK, and the Netherlands to block the export of military goods to Israel. The UK challenge was dismissed, but Al-Haq has stated their intention to appeal. In the Netherlands, a court ordered a halt to the export of F-35 jet parts to Israel due to concerns of violating international law, a decision the Dutch government plans to appeal to the country’s Supreme Court.