Canada’s involvement in the sale of weapons to Israel has raised concerns about the transparency and accountability of the country’s arms export regime. The announcement that a Canadian weapons company will manufacture over $60m worth of munitions for Israel as part of a US arms sale has shed light on the little-known Defence Production Sharing Agreement between the US and Canada. This agreement allows for the permit-free movement of most military items between the two countries, raising questions about Canada’s adherence to international humanitarian law and its legal obligations under the Arms Trade Treaty.
Human rights advocates in Canada have long criticized the lack of transparency in arms transfers to the US, labeling it a dangerous loophole in the Canadian arms export system. The recent revelation that Canadian-made weapons will be sent to Israel through the US has sparked further condemnation and calls for accountability. Despite Canada joining the Arms Trade Treaty in 2019, there are still concerns about the country’s failure to ensure that Canadian-made weapons are not used in violations of international humanitarian law.
Critics argue that Canada’s arms export system is flawed and must be reformed to prevent Canadian weapons from being used in human rights abuses abroad. With growing calls for an arms embargo on Israel, Canadian authorities are under pressure to take action and hold both the US and Israel accountable for their roles in the conflict. As the US continues to provide military assistance to Israel, Canadian advocates are calling on their government to step in and ensure that Canadian weapons do not contribute to the suffering of Palestinians.
Source
Photo credit www.aljazeera.com
