Singh calls for halt on arms sales to Israel

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is calling on the federal government to halt arms sales to Israel amid escalating violence in the region.

 At a news conference Wednesday, Singh said Canada must apply pressure to ratchet down the spiralling conflict in East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank and prevent more guns from deployment in clashes he says breach international law.

 "By arming one side of the conflict it is undermining the peace process and it is supporting illegal occupation," he said during question period later that day.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded by asking all sides to protect civilians and end the violence, saying rocket attacks against Israel as well as violence at an iconic mosque are "unacceptable."

 "Canada supports Israel’s right to assure its own security," he said. "Places of worship are for people to gather peacefully and should never be sites of violence."

 On Tuesday, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole put out a statement condemning rocket attacks by Hamas militants as "indiscriminately targeting civilians."

 Government data shows Canada sent $13.7 million in military goods and technology to Israel in 2019, or 0.4 per cent of total arms exports, suggesting an embargo would have limited leverage.