An announcement this week that Canada would offer funding for Palestinian girls who’ve survived sexual violence drew a right away rebuke from a senior Israeli official.
Overseas Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly made the $1-million pledge on social media Tuesday.
“We consider Palestinian girls,” she posted on X.
“Allegations on sexual and gender-based violence towards them should be investigated and Palestinian girls should be supported.”
Inside minutes, Israel’s envoy for combating antisemitism criticized the put up.
Michal Cotler-Wunsh wrote that the funding is “supporting blood-libel inversion of reality” that can gas rising anti-Jewish sentiment.
“It is usually a betrayal and undermining of Canada’s dedication to uphold and defend foundational ideas of life and liberty,” she stated on X.
Joly’s workplace wouldn’t say whether or not Canada believes Israeli forces are perpetrating sexual violence on girls in Gaza as their battle towards Hamas continues, nor if the funding pertains to home abuse within the Palestinian territories.
The minister’s employees would solely say that the cash will go towards “organizations supporting Palestinian girls from the West Financial institution and Gaza who’re survivors of sexual violence, irrespective of the circumstance.”
Earlier this week, Joly introduced the identical amount of cash to assist Israeli girls who’ve been victims of sexual violence by Hamas, months after a cross-partisan group of Canadian former politicians requested Canada to pledge $1 million.
It’s unclear which teams will obtain the funding introduced for girls in every area.
Final month, a bunch of United Nations specialists stated they have been distressed by unconfirmed reviews that Palestinian girls and ladies in Israeli detention have confronted sexual assault.
The accusations included two reviews of rape, threats of sexual assault and strip searches by male Israeli troopers. The specialists stated they have been searching for an neutral investigation into the allegations.
