Poilievre says Israel attacking Iran’s nuclear sites would be a ‘gift’ to humanity – nationally
On Tuesday, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre reiterated his call for Israel to strike Iran’s nuclear weapons, saying such an action was “the Jewish state’s gift to humanity.”
Poilievre first voiced his support on Monday at a memorial event in Ottawa marking the one-year anniversary of the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas against Israel. The ensuing conflict in the Middle East reached a new peak last week, when Iran – which backs Hamas and other proxy groups fighting Israel – fired a barrage of missiles at Israel, vowing to retaliate.
US President Joe Biden and other world leaders have warned against raiding Iran’s nuclear facilities for fear of escalating the conflict into a war between the two most armed countries in the region.
Poilievre would not say if he disagreed with Biden’s test when asked by reporters in Ottawa on Tuesday, but he reiterated his belief that striking the facilities would prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
“I think the idea of allowing a genocidal, theocratic, unstable dictatorship that wants to avoid being overthrown by its own people in order to build nuclear weapons is about the most dangerous and irresponsible thing a country could ever allow,” said Poilievre.
“If Israel were to stop that genocidal, theocratic, unstable government from getting nuclear weapons, it would be the Jewish state’s gift to humanity.”
Poilievre has long taken a hard line on Iran and has blamed it for the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and total violence in the Middle East, saying Tehran wants to undermine peace talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
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In his speech on Monday, following a speech by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Poilievre said Canada must support Israel’s right to defend itself against Iran and other regional threats, including “continuing attacks on Iran’s nuclear and oil facilities to refinance the terrorist regime.”
“Israel must be able to prevent Iran from using nuclear weapons, if necessary,” Poilievre said.
A decades-old fatwa issued by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei prohibits the development, proliferation and use of nuclear weapons. But Iran’s intelligence minister has warned that the situation could change if it is “thrown away,” and there are fears in the international community that Iran could use its nuclear program to quickly produce such a weapon.
Iran began enriching uranium again after then-president Donald Trump pulled the United States out of an international agreement that curbed Iran’s nuclear program in 2018.
US Vice President Kamala Harris, who is running for president, said during an interview broadcast on CBS. 60 Minutes On Monday that Iran was a major enemy of the United States, and that one of his “priorities” would be to ensure that Iran “does not acquire the ability to become a nuclear power.”
Israel is also widely believed to have nuclear weapons, but there is no physical evidence and the country has neither admitted nor denied that they exist.
Following the Iranian missile attack on October 2, Prime Minister Trudeau and Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said their goal was to ensure that a full-scale war between Israel and Iran was avoided.
Defense Minister Bill Blair told reporters on Monday that it would be “appropriate” for Israel to strike Iran’s oil production facilities, but did not mention nuclear facilities.
“If we talk about (Israel’s) defense capabilities, of course that will include missile launch sites, military installations, airfields where these attacks are launched, but Israel has the right to defend itself against such an attack and limit Iran’s ability to attack. ,” he said.
Biden told reporters the day after the attack on Iran that “the answer is no” when asked about Israel striking Iran’s nuclear facilities, and stressed the need to respond “proportionately”. He said his administration would be in discussions with their Israeli counterparts about what that response might look like.
Pentagon spokesman Maj. General Pat Ryder said on Monday that “we continue to discuss the next steps with Israel, including the steps that need to be taken to protect Israel,” while stressing the need to avoid further escalation. He said he would not “speculate” on a possible strike at nuclear facilities.
Trump, however, said during a campaign event on Friday that Iran’s nuclear program is “the thing you want to hit” and that he disagrees with Biden’s approach.
“The answer should have been, go nuclear first and worry about the rest later,” he said, referring to how he felt Biden should have responded to reporters.
Harris said after Iran’s attack against Israel that the US “will continue to work with our allies and partners to disrupt Iran’s aggressive behavior and hold it accountable.”
Giora Eiland, a retired major general of the Israel Defense Forces, told Mercedes Stephenson in an interview broadcast on Sunday. West Block that Israel may not go after Iran’s nuclear facilities, which are “well secured.”
But he added: “Israel could cause a lot of damage to Iran if we attack other potential targets.”
—via files from Saba Aziz
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
