Mélanie Joly, Canada’s minister of foreign affairs, wrote earlier this week that Canada will provide the equivalent of about $750,000 “to organizations who are supporting survivors of sexual violence committed by Hamas on Oct. 7.”
“We believe Israeli women, and we stand with them in their fight for justice,” Joly wrote on March 11. “Today, I sat down with the first lady of Israel Michal Herzog to discuss the sexual violence committed by Hamas on Oct. 7 and our support of survivors.”
Joly added that the country is offering the support of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in looking into the crimes.
The minister drew criticism for her comments.
“If you actually believed Israeli women, you wouldn’t have voted for a ceasefire that rewards Hamas terrorists for their grotesque and horrific acts of sexual violence against Israeli women,” wrote Honest Reporting Canada. “You also wouldn’t have resumed funding to UNRWA, a key organization that helped Hamas commit the OCt. 7 massacre of murdering 1,200+ Israelis and kidnapping 240+ hostages into Gaza.”
Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, wrote to Joly that “your actions speak louder than your words.”
“But you just restored Canadian funding for UNRWA whose employees participated in Oct. 7 massacres and many of whom are Hamas members,” Dubowitz added.
