Canada Recalls Senior Diplomats from Israel, the West Bank in Wake of UN Vote

Less than 24 hours after the UN General Assembly vote gave the Palestinians non-member observer status at the world body, Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird recalled senior diplomats from Israel, the West Bank and the UN missions in New York and Geneva.

“Canada is deeply disappointed but not surprised by yesterday’s result at the United Nations General Assembly,” said Minister Baird in a statement on November 30. “Our government’s position is clear: the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace is through negotiations, not unilateral actions. To that end, Canada is bringing its heads of missions in Israel and Ramallah and its permanent representatives to the UN in New York and Geneva back to Ottawa temporarily to assess the implications of yesterday’s UN General Assembly vote and inform Canada’s response to it.”

In an interview with CBC television, Baird indicated that he wants to gain the perspective and insights of the Canadian diplomats who are on the ground, closest to the situation. “I want to get a sense of where we go from here,” he said, while calling the UJ General Assembly’s decision an “impediment to peace.”

Canada was one of only a few nations to oppose the resolution which was approved by a vote of 138 to 9, while 41 countries abstained.