Close X
Friday, November 15, 2024
ADVT 
National

Canada pulls diplomats' kids out of Israel as fear of broader war builds

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 08 Aug, 2024 10:29 AM
  • Canada pulls diplomats' kids out of Israel as fear of broader war builds

The Canadian government says it decided to pull its diplomats' children and their guardians out of Israel, amid fears over an expanded Mideast war.

Global Affairs Canada says it has approved the temporary relocation of the children and their guardians to a safe third country.

Embassy staff are expected to remain in Israel.

"The Embassy of Canada to Israel in Tel Aviv, the Embassy of Canada to Lebanon in Beirut, and the Representative Office of Canada to the Palestinian Authority, all remain fully operational and continue to provide essential services to Canadians, including consular services," Global Affairs Canada said in a statement Wednesday evening. 

Diplomats stationed in nearby Ramallah in the West Bank and in Beirut, Lebanon, do not have dependents living with them. 

"Staff at our missions in Lebanon and Ramallah remain in place and are being regularly updated on the ongoing situation and the measures Global Affairs Canada is taking," the department said. 

Tensions in the Middle East have sparked fears about an all-out war after the killing last week of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and Hamas's top political leader in Iran.

On Saturday, the government warned Canadians to avoid all travel to Israel due to the "ongoing regional armed conflict and the unpredictable security situation."

The government also advises against travelling to the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jerusalem and Lebanon. 

The current conflict broke out on Oct 7, after Hamas launched a deadly surprise attack on Israel that killed an estimated 1,200 people. The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza says more than 39,100 Palestinians have since been killed in the war.

The Gaza Strip has been ravaged by the conflict, which has also seen a previously unprecedented direct assault on Israel by Iran, as well as Israeli attacks on Iran and Lebanon, including the capital city of Beirut.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with Jordan's King Abdullah II earlier this week to express his "deep concern" over the risk of expanded conflict between Israel and Iran, as well as Hezbollah and other Iran-aligned groups. 

"The leaders underscored the urgent need to avoid further escalation, which puts the lives of civilians in the region at risk," the Prime Minister's Office said in a summary of the Tuesday call. 

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. under fire after accounting firm accused of conflict in running grant

B.C. under fire after accounting firm accused of conflict in running grant
British Columbia Premier David Eby says the government has asked the auditor general to review the province's grant programs after allegations of conflict-of-interest from a clean-technology company. The development comes after Merritt, B.C.-based electric-hybrid truck maker Edison Motors said in a TikTok video that accounting firm MNP was both administering a CleanBC grant and offering to provide services to aid businesses in applications. 

B.C. under fire after accounting firm accused of conflict in running grant

Crown blames most of Ali murder trial delays on defence and 'extraordinary events'

Crown blames most of Ali murder trial delays on defence and 'extraordinary events'
A Crown lawyer says holdups to the trial of a man found guilty of murdering a 13-year-old Burnaby, B.C., girl were mostly attributable to the defence and "discrete exceptional events," as he argued against the case being thrown out over delays.  Daniel Porte told a B.C. Supreme Court judge that if those events were subtracted, the remaining delays to Ibrahim Ali's trial would have amounted to about 25 months, falling within the allowable threshold.

Crown blames most of Ali murder trial delays on defence and 'extraordinary events'

Arrests in northern B.C. over allegations of trafficking safe-supply drugs

Arrests in northern B.C. over allegations of trafficking safe-supply drugs
Police in Prince George, B.C., say they have arrested two people over allegations they were trafficking safe-supply drugs that are prescribed as an alternative to the toxic drug supply in the province. RCMP say they acted on tips from the public and information from other investigations to gather enough evidence to detain the two suspects who were "seen allegedly exchanging illicit drugs for safer supply drugs."

Arrests in northern B.C. over allegations of trafficking safe-supply drugs

Witnesses needed to come forward in Surrey police shooting case

Witnesses needed to come forward in Surrey police shooting case
Police in Surrey are asking for witnesses in a case last month where an officer shot and seriously injured a fleeing suspect. Surrey Mounties say two Surrey Police Service officers were patrolling on foot on March 17th when they got a call about a man with a gun.

Witnesses needed to come forward in Surrey police shooting case

Bleak outlook for the housing market

Bleak outlook for the housing market
Economists say it could take months before consumers regain confidence and create a rebound in Canada's housing market, but a pent-up demand remains in places like BC. TD Bank economist Rishi Sondhi says the Canadian housing market is akin to a coiled spring, and significant demand in B-C and Ontario could be sparked by activities such as an interest-rate cut.

Bleak outlook for the housing market

Rain and snow warnings for BC

Rain and snow warnings for BC
Environment Canada has issued rain and snow warnings for parts of southwestern B-C as a moist Pacific frontal system moves into the region. The weather agency says North Vancouver and West Vancouver may see as much as 50 millimetres of rain in the next 24 hours, leading to possible washouts near rivers and creeks.

Rain and snow warnings for BC