Close X
Wednesday, November 20, 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

Highways prepared for extreme weather 'new normal,' says B.C. transportation minister

Highways prepared for extreme weather 'new normal,' says B.C. transportation minister
British Columbia's transportation minister says 130 kilometres of highway that was severely damaged by flooding two years ago is now more resilient to extreme weather. Rob Fleming says the stretch of the Coquihalla Highway, or Highway 5, between Hope and Merritt, B.C., is an example of a "new normal" for how infrastructure needs to be built.

Highways prepared for extreme weather 'new normal,' says B.C. transportation minister

Two more Canadians leave Gaza Strip, as Freeland calls situation 'heartbreaking'

Two more Canadians leave Gaza Strip, as Freeland calls situation 'heartbreaking'
Two more people with ties to Canada left the Gaza Strip for Egypt today, as hundreds seek to flee a worsening humanitarian situation in the besieged Palestinian territory. Global Affairs Canada says it has helped 358 Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their relatives exit the war-torn territory, while another nine have managed to get out through other means.

Two more Canadians leave Gaza Strip, as Freeland calls situation 'heartbreaking'

Notorious clubhouse owned by Nanaimo, B.C., Hells Angels being demolished: Farnworth

Notorious clubhouse owned by Nanaimo, B.C., Hells Angels being demolished: Farnworth
A clubhouse that once belonged to a Vancouver Island chapter of the Hells Angels is being demolished, just weeks after a court ruling confirmed the B.C. government has the right to seize the property. Mike Farnworth, minister of public safety and solicitor general, says in a statement that the clubhouse in Nanaimo is coming down immediately.

Notorious clubhouse owned by Nanaimo, B.C., Hells Angels being demolished: Farnworth

Wreckage of plane discovered near Kamloops

Wreckage of plane discovered near Kamloops
The wreckage of a plane that authorities believe is decades old has been found south of Kamloops, B.C.  The Transportation Safety Board says in a statement that it was made aware of the wreck and investigators have been in contact with Kamloops RCMP. 

Wreckage of plane discovered near Kamloops

Prime Minister's Office gives mandate letters to two ministers, months after shuffle

Prime Minister's Office gives mandate letters to two ministers, months after shuffle
The letters for the ministers in charge of the newly minted citizens' services and sport and physical activity portfolios were posted online earlier this week, and serve as a guide to what the prime minister wants them to accomplish.  

Prime Minister's Office gives mandate letters to two ministers, months after shuffle

Poll suggests widespread dissatisfaction with Trudeau government

Poll suggests widespread dissatisfaction with Trudeau government
Almost two in three Canadians have a negative impression of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and half want him to resign before the next election, a new survey suggests. While affordability, housing and public debt are higher on the reasons people want Trudeau to go, one in five people surveyed said they want him to resign simply because they are "just tired of him."

Poll suggests widespread dissatisfaction with Trudeau government