Andrew Robinson

Retired Canadian Foreign Service officer. Former Ambassador to Ukraine, Jordan. RWG Gavel 1995-2000. Occasional commentator on Middle East & Ukraine/Russia.

[Andrew Robinson @AndrewNorval]

1979 Electoral promise by (future PM) Joe Clark to move Canadian Embassy to Jerusalem led instead to Cdn recognition of need to open dialogue with PLO via Cdn Embassy in Beirut. How did it work out? Decide for yourself. https://t.co/IUlP7tFojs

[Andrew Robinson @AndrewNorval]

Happy to announce that my article on Canada's dialogue with the PLO and Canada's decision  to support the principle of Palestinian self-determination will be appearing soon in the Canadian Foreign Policy Journal. Details to follow.

[Andrew Robinson @AndrewNorval]

@thomasjuneau I much enjoyed listening to your talk with Deutsche Welle.

[Andrew Robinson @AndrewNorval]

Canada should speak up in defence of ICC.

[Mark Kersten || @markkersten.bsky.social @MarkKersten]

This is the message today?

Will you say something - anything - to support the ICC and condemn the wildly outrageous, reckless, and irresponsible threats against it and Canadian judges, by Marco Rubio?

The silence is deafening.

[Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East @CJPME]

The UK government confirms that it is working on a comprehensive ban on trade in goods and services with illegal Israeli settlements. The EU is currently leaning towards a similar ban.

Meanwhile, Canada not only continues to allow trade with settlements, but also gives them free trade benefits under CIFTA.

Canada must recognize the direction that the wind is blowing and finally take measures to cancel CIFTA and bring an end to all economic dealings with settlements.
https://t.co/gDNljyhGrK

[Andrew Robinson @AndrewNorval]

@harry_fosters Always enjoy your posts. Thanks.

[Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East @CJPME]

Congratulations to Ireland for officially banning the trade of goods from illegal Israeli settlements.

This is an important step forward, although unfortunately, the law stops short of banning the trade of services.

Canada must follow the lead of Spain and Ireland, and go further to sanction all trade with settlements, including services and investment.
https://t.co/usCDQ29cF9

[Kjell Anderson @Kjell_Anderson]

I've now had a chance to visit the CMHR's Nakba exhibit and the "controversy" over the exhibit is outrageous. It's a TINY exhibit of only a couple of panels. Israel's atrocious violence in Gaza is neutrally characterized as a "military campaign". There are poems about empathy.

[Andrew Robinson @AndrewNorval]

@BobBowker Canada is NOT a member of the board of Peace.

[Annalena Baerbock @UN_PGA]

UNRWA faces immense financial, political and operational pressure. At the UNRWA Pledging Conference, I called for urgent political and financial support for the Agency. Nearly 5.9 million Palestine refugees depend on its services. Until the two-state solution is achieved, supporting UNRWA means supporting a just and lasting peace—grounded in international law and the UN Charter.

[Andrew Robinson @AndrewNorval]

All civilized countries should support UNRWA

[Bob Bowker @BobBowker]

What a disgraceful statement. Every donor to UNRWA should firmly and publicly reject this nonsense. But they won’t.

[Canada Mission UN @CanadaUN]

Canada today reaffirmed its support for UNRWA, condemning strikes affecting its staff and urging protection for all civilians. Since Oct 2023, Canada has provided over $500M in international assistance to Palestinians, including support for UNRWA and humanitarian partners.

[Andrew Robinson @AndrewNorval]

@DAaronovitch All of Canada. "The true north, strong and free"

[Independent Jewish Voices @IndJewishVoices]

Cher musée, avec amour

Lettre adressée au Musée canadien des droits de la personne à l’occasion de l’inauguration de l’exposition « Palestine déracinée : La Nakba au passé et au présent », signée par Voix juives indépendantes Canada (VJI), l’Ordre du Peuple juif uni – Canada (UJPO) et les Professeur/es juives et juifs du Canada (JFN).

https://t.co/9LCCp4yf5X

[Andrew Robinson @AndrewNorval]

My post from 5 days ago: Regardless of what happens eventually on USA-Iran front, Canada should use this opportunity to undo Harper's mistakes and re-establish Cdn diplo presence in Tehran.

[Andrew Robinson @AndrewNorval]

Glad to see PM and I are thinking along the same lines.

[Stewart Bell @StewGlobal]

Carney wants to resume diplomatic relations with Iran. https://t.co/zECPOa8GR2

[Andrew Robinson @AndrewNorval]

Regardless of what happens eventually on USA-Iran front, Canada should use this opportunity to undo Harper's mistakes and re-establish Cdn diplo presence in Tehran. @AnitaAnandMP @HorakDennis @thomasjuneau @CanadaFP

[Andrew Robinson @AndrewNorval]

Exactly.

[Adnan Hussain MP @AdnanHussainMP]

We cannot allow the charge of genocide in Gaza to be obscured by accusations of antisemitism. Antisemitism is hatred of Jewish people; criticism of Israel is criticism of a state with military and political apparatus capable of committing genocide. The two must not be conflated.

[Andrew Robinson @AndrewNorval]

D'accord.

[Nicolas Tenzer @NTenzer]

We must repeat this tirelessly: either Ukraine wins—and with it, Europe—and russia loses, or the opposite happens.
It's a zero-sum game.
There's no middle ground in the harsh reality of the facts.
Hence, logically, there can be no intermediary strategy.
Time to act accordingly.

[Andrew Robinson @AndrewNorval]

Could you please expand on plans to enrich #uranium in #Canada so we are not dependant on others and we don't just export for others to enrich. @MSidhuLiberal @CanadaFP @timhodgsonmt

[Tim Hodgson @timhodgsonmt]

Canada has led on nuclear for over 80 years — and our very first National Nuclear Strategy will take us further.

[Etienne de Poncins @EdePoncins]

L'Ukraine plus que jamais sur le chemin de la victoire grâce à son courage, sa détermination, sa résilience et son incroyable capacité d'adaptation. Pendant des décennies on étudiera la stratégie de défense 🇺🇦 décentralisée.

[Yves Engler @EnglerYves]

Zionists believe they’re above Canadian law. A Liberal MP recently stood before Parliament to demand his government intercede to ignore the rules.

In response to a sixty-page report submitted to the Canada Revenue Agency calling for an investigation into 11 school charities assisting the Israeli military in probable violation of charity rules, Liberal MP Anthony Housefather called for Parliament to denounce a “deeply troubling complaint filed with the Canada Revenue Agency and targeting 11 Jewish schools in Montreal and Toronto.” He added, “The CRA must be unequivocal that it will not allow tax laws to be weaponized against any group.”

In this case “weaponizing” CRA rules seems to be a euphemism for applying them.
The Just Peace Advocates led report asks the CRA to investigate whether the 11 state subsidized groups are violating rules stating that “supporting the armed forces of another country is not” charitable activity. Additionally, the report co-sponsored by the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute mentions the Foreign Enlistment Act, which criminalizes “inducing” Canadians to join another country’s armed forces.

Picking up from the Liberal MP’s push to protect law breakers, Mark Goldberg explicitly demanded the revenue minister intercede to demand the CRA ignore its rules. The self-declared “Zionist” posted, “MP for Mount Royal Anthony Housefather makes a statement in Commons seeking Canada Revenue Agency being unequivocal in not allowing tax laws to be weaponized against Canadian Jewish Institutions. Will Minister of Finance and National Revenue Francois Philippe Champagne provide that assurance?”

By law the CRA operates independently of the government and is mandated to enforce the Income Tax Act. As such, a minister directing the CRA to ignore schools violating charity rules would be illegal.

But that didn’t stop Israel’s consul in Toronto, Idit Shamir, from posting Housefather’s clip with the statement, “A sitting MP had to stand up in Canada’s own legislature and formally call on a government agency not to be weaponized against Jewish people.”

Is the Israeli government so shameless about its power in Canada that it sees nothing wrong with demanding the CRA ignore its rules because the charities are Jewish?

In response Rabbi David Mivasair noted, “If Jewish schools in Canada weren’t violating Canadian law and tax regulations, you’d have nothing to worry about. You’d be writing, ‘Let them investigate. We’re cool.’ When the Consul General of Israel intervenes in an internal Canadian tax matter, it raises more questions than it settles.”

It’s remarkable to see a foreign government, working with a MP and domestic lobby, demand Ottawa ignore its laws. Even if Zionists have normalized this type of behaviour, it’s scandalous.

Forcing Ottawa to rigorously apply existing domestic laws regarding registered charities as well as the arms provisions under the Export Import Act and to prosecute those violating the Foreign Enlistment Act and War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity Act, would mark a major step towards justice. And that’s what Zionists are trying to prevent.

How many does Israel have to kill before we finally apply existing Canadian law towards initiatives assisting the lawless supremacist state?