Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly speaks to reporters in Paris, France, on Oct. 3.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says Israel’s decision to bar United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres from entering the country is “counterproductive.”
Speaking Thursday at the Francophonie summit in Paris, Ms. Joly expressed her full support for the UN leader, one day after her Israeli counterpart said Mr. Guterres’s failure to condemn Iran’s missile attack on Israel earlier this week made him persona non grata.
Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday amid an escalation in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. After the attack, Mr. Guterres issued a brief statement condemning “the broadening of the Middle East conflict, with escalation after escalation.”
Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz said, “Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack on Israel, as nearly all the countries of the world have done, does not deserve to set foot on Israeli soil.”
Ms. Joly said Israel’s decision was not helpful.
“When the Secretary-General of the UN, António Guterres, is called persona non grata by Israel, it’s counterproductive because we think the UN has a lot of work to be doing in the context of this conflict,” Ms. Joly told a news conference.
She said Israel’s long-term security is at stake as well as the peace and security of the Middle East, and Canada will press the parties to bring peace and stability back to the Middle East.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also at the summit of French-speaking countries, which is being held on Thursday and Friday.
Ms. Joly said she is “very concerned” about the conflict expanding and called for a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, as well as in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Ottawa has made efforts to help evacuate Canadians from Lebanon, as fears of an all-out war grow.
Global Affairs Canada has been booking seats on commercial flights for Canadians, permanent residents and eligible family members who want to leave Lebanon, with travellers having to pay their own airfare.
On Thursday, the department said there were two flights from Beirut to Istanbul carrying a total of 275 passengers, including nationals from Australia, New Zealand, Denmark and the United States.
The statement said other flights earlier this week had brought out more than 300 Canadians, and that there will be about 900 seats available between Friday and Sunday.
Given the deteriorating security situation in Lebanon, Ms. Joly encouraged Canadians to take the seats they have requested. “We believe in your safety,” she said.