Close X
Saturday, September 21, 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

Joly crafting 'Arctic foreign policy' amid regional tensions, not a full strategy

Joly crafting 'Arctic foreign policy' amid regional tensions, not a full strategy
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is readying an "Arctic foreign policy" aimed at preparing for a more tense time in international relations. Joly tells Bloomberg News that this will involve working closely with NATO peers, including Finland and Sweden, who recently joined the military alliance.

Joly crafting 'Arctic foreign policy' amid regional tensions, not a full strategy

Court-imposed deadline to pass new citizenship law approaching next week

Court-imposed deadline to pass new citizenship law approaching next week
The federal government has just a week left to make key changes to the Citizenship Act in response to a court ruling last year. The Ontario Superior Court has not yet agreed to extend the looming deadline, the Immigration Department said Wednesday, and NDP attempts to rush legislation through the House of Commons have failed. 

Court-imposed deadline to pass new citizenship law approaching next week

B.C. sets minimum wage, other rules for app-based ride-hailing, delivery work

B.C. sets minimum wage, other rules for app-based ride-hailing, delivery work
British Columbia has finalized regulations to provide a minimum-wage and basic protections for ride-hailing and delivery workers using app-based platforms such as Uber, DoorDash and SkipTheDishes. The Ministry of Labour says in a statement the regulations that will take effect on Sept. 3 are a first in Canada.

B.C. sets minimum wage, other rules for app-based ride-hailing, delivery work

B.C. wildfire risk expected to spike this summer after mild spring mitigates blazes

B.C. wildfire risk expected to spike this summer after mild spring mitigates blazes
A cool and wet spring in parts of British Columbia has helped suppress fire activity, but an expected turn in the weather will likely renew wildfire risk this summer. BC Wildfire Service lead forecaster Matt MacDonald says blazes across the province have burned about 300,000 hectares so far this year.

B.C. wildfire risk expected to spike this summer after mild spring mitigates blazes

Farnworth 'glad' Surrey joins completion of transition from RCMP to municipal force

Farnworth 'glad' Surrey joins completion of transition from RCMP to municipal force
Locke raised a white flag this week at a council meeting, saying she is disappointed but accepts the outcome of last month's B.C. Supreme Court judicial review that said the province can order the transition to the Surrey Police Service to continue.

Farnworth 'glad' Surrey joins completion of transition from RCMP to municipal force

B.C. motorcyclist dies after crashing into car, falling onto highway

B.C. motorcyclist dies after crashing into car, falling onto highway
Police say a motorcyclist is dead in a crash Wednesday that snarled morning traffic for Metro Vancouver commuters. Police say the truck driver didn't remain at the scene of the crash on Highway 99 near the George Massey Tunnel in Delta, B.C. 

B.C. motorcyclist dies after crashing into car, falling onto highway