Liberals split over UN vote calling for ceasefire in Israel-Hamas conflict

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OTTAWA – Several Liberal MPs said they were disappointed in the government’s vote at the UN on Wednesday, but insisted the Israel-Hamas issue is not dividing the party’s caucus.

Canada sided with 152 other countries at the UN Tuesday calling for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict. Ten countries voted against the motion while another 23 abstained. The resolution called for an immediate release of all hostages, but made no mention of Hamas or the terrorist organization’s role in the conflict.

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Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement alongside the prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand, which called for progress toward a sustainable ceasefire.

Unlike the UN resolution, the statement from the three prime ministers condemned Hamas, called for the terrorist group to lay down its arms and said it should have no role in any future Palestinian government.

Winnipeg Liberal MP Ben Carr said he was disappointed the government supported the UN resolution and believed the statement was a better proposal. He said the UN call ignores Hamas’ role in the conflict.

“Conditional for a ceasefire is that Hamas lay down its arms and Hamas immediately release all remaining hostages and that Hamas stop using innocent civilians as human shields,” he said.

Liberal MP Peter Fragiskatos said on X, formerly Twitter, that he had “concerns” about the UN resolution because it did not contain many of the conditions outlined by the Canadian government’s earlier statement on the ceasefire, such as calling for the removal of terrorist group Hamas from government in Gaza.

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“There are clear conditions attached to what we voted on in the UN yesterday, including, and especially important, that Hamas lay down its arms,” he said Wednesday. “The statement that followed (the vote) from Ms. Joly gave me a lot of comfort.”

Liberal MP Fayçal El-Khoury appeared to break rank with his government when he said he believes there is the possibility for peace between Israel and Gaza even with Hamas in power.

“If there is a will, there is a way,” said El-Khoury. “If we can find people who can understand Hamas’ thinking and transmit those to Israelis via an internationally respected third party like Canada, I think we can obtain peace. Palestinians are also people who want to live. No one wants their sons or daughters to die in a bombardment.”

Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,200 people and kidnapping another 240. During a pause in the fighting about half of those hostages were released, but many still remain in Hamas captivity.

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The Hamas-led health ministry says that roughly 18,000 Palestinians have died following Israel’s military response in Gaza. The death toll has not been independently verified.

Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez said Hamas should absolutely be condemned, but the conflict is leading to far too many casualties.

“We’re seeing day after day children, women die. This has to stop and we have to find a way to work on a two-state solution,” he said.

Housing Minister Sean Fraser said he supported his government’s view but would have preferred the UN motion include harsher language calling out Hamas as a terrorist organization.

He added that Hamas needed to be held accountable for its terror attack on Oct. 7, but Canada wants to “everything we can to limit violence” toward the “innocent people” in Gaza.

Montreal Liberal MP Anthony Housefather said it is the unconditional call for a ceasefire that he doesn’t agree with and neither do his constituents.

“I do not support an unconditional call for a ceasefire. I don’t believe the majority of my constituents support an unconditional call for a ceasefire, and it’s my obligation as an individually elected MP to speak out when I think that Canada has abandoned its traditional position.”

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Housefather said he still stands with the party despite the outcome of this vote.

“My convictions since I’ve been a teenager have generally been with the Liberal party. I’m disappointed in this vote.”

When asked if they thought Canada’s vote at the UN could lead to resignations in caucus, multiple Liberal MPs said no. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t divisions.

“The Liberal caucus reflects Canada. It’s a very diverse caucus with people that come from different communities. So, it obviously creates some challenges when we have to take different decisions and have our positions evolve in light of what is happening on the planet,” Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told reporters, adding he felt it was the right time for the UN vote. “I think it’s a position that reflects what Canadians want to see at this moment on the crisis.”

Carr said he understands people in his caucus feel differently and that is healthy for a democracy.

“When we get together we have a conversation, the same conversations that Canadians are having across the country, and that’s the way it should be,” he said. “The reality is that this is complex, it’s messy, it’s nuanced. It’s not black and white, it’s grey. And what grey looks like is … challenging discussions and (it) looks like disagreement, and that’s not a bad thing.”

Twitter: RyanTumilty
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