How important to Canadians are the two major wars currently occurring in the world, one in Ukraine and the other in Gaza? How many remember today, how these conflicts started? How many of us are now apathetic about what is going on in these places and just wish the conflicts would stop regardless of the consequences?
Too many, I fear.
Piers Morgan a high-profile British journalist, responding to someone accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians, said this. “The correct genocidal comparison that you struggle to understand, is Russia and Hamas. Ukraine and Israel are both defending their countries from barbaric monsters who invaded and attacked them.”
We should not forget that. Nor should we listen to those, both in Canada and the United States, who downgrade the importance of these wars in terms of global consequences. In the last century, the genesis of two world wars evolved from conflicts not unlike the ones we are now witnessing.
Underlining the importance of this, American Senator Mitt Romney stated in a recent interview, “If Putin thinks he can invade his neighbours with impunity, he will not stop with Ukraine. Putin will invade a NATO nation which will draw our troops into a war with Russia. It is critical to our national security that Ukraine has the weapons it needs to put up a good fight.”
Former American Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was equally direct when he said, “If Ukraine loses, the cost to America will be far greater than the aid we have given to Ukraine.”
Both of these men are right. And what they have said, refers to Canada as well. Any war in which a NATO country is involved will include Canada.
Yet, we are witnessing support for Ukraine waning, turning more to platitudes and less toward real military and financial assistance. Calls for a ceasefire are also increasing. The problem with that though, is that any peace agreement that gives Russia more than they had before they started this war by invading Ukraine is a win for Putin. And a win for Putin is a clear and present danger to many other parts of the world.
A similar situation exists in the war between Israel and Hamas. I wrote several weeks ago that I believed that public opinion and support would quickly move from Israel to the Palestinians. That is well underway.
It is important, in my view, to understand that Hamas is not only a terrorist organization, but it is also a government. In 2006 Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections and assumed legislative control of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. In 2007 Hamas ousted the ruling Palestinian Authority and without further elections has been the de facto governing body in the Gaza Strip ever since.
As well, most Palestinians not only support Hamas as their government, but they also support them in the current war. In a recent poll, a majority of Gazans and 85% of Palestinians in the West Bank resulted in 72% of Palestinians voicing satisfaction with the role of Hamas in the current war.
The reality then is that this is not just a war against Hamas but also against Palestinians, the majority of whom support Hamas which is a terrorist organization dedicated to eradicating Jewish people.
Many countries, sadly including Canada, are now calling for a ceasefire between the Hamas government and Israel. Of course, the killing of so many innocent people in Gaza is horrifying but it is a brutal reality of any war, this one started by Hamas themselves.
What many people may have forgotten is that there has been a formal ceasefire in place in that part of the Middle East for many years. It was broken, not by Israel but by Hamas on October 7 when they invaded Israel and brutally attacked Israeli civilians in the biggest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust of World War Two.
The Hamas terrorist government has vowed to never stop fighting until Israel is destroyed. How then would a ceasefire work? Would it simply be a pause in what could only be described as an antisemitic Holocaust?
I am aware of those who argue about the evils of colonialism and empathize with Palestinians because they believe that Israel colonized lands that belong to them and therefore should be removed. But Israel, in one form or another, has been around for a very long time.
I recently saw one item online that caught my eye in relation to this. It said, “Billions of people around the globe are about to celebrate the birthday of a Jewish man, born in Bethlehem more than 2000 years ago but don’t believe Jews lived there before 1948.”
I’ll say again, as I said about Russia and Ukraine, any ceasefire or peace treaty between Israel and the Hamas government that gives Hamas more than they had before they started this war, is a win for Hamas and that is unacceptable and simply promotes more terrorism.
In my view, both Ukraine and Israel must win the wars they have been dragged into. For that to happen, allied support is critical. Ceasefires are only effective when they don’t appease aggressors.
One of the negatives, in my view, about the era of populism we now endure is that it encourages us to think inward instead of outward. Yet especially as our world grows smaller due to the wonders of technology, we cannot slam our doors and stick our heads in the sand. In many instances, what happens elsewhere will eventually happen here. We can stand up to it now or wait for the inevitable time when there will be attempts to impose changes upon us that we do not want.
The simple truth is that Canada is not immune from what happens in other parts of the world. We have seen it already since the terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7.
Antisemitism in Canada has, as it has in other countries, risen sharply since the terrorist attacks in Israel. Synagogues, schools and other Jewish establishments have been vandalized in increasing numbers. Yesterday, the RCMP arrested a young man in Ottawa who they allege was in the process of planning a terrorist attack against Jews.
We cannot afford apathy about what is going on either here or in the wider world. We cannot let the bad guys win. If we do, eventually, it will bite us in the butt.
History has proven that.
Hugh Mackenzie
Hugh Mackenzie has held elected office as a trustee on the Muskoka Board of Education, a Huntsville councillor, a District councillor, and mayor of Huntsville. He has also served as chairman of the District of Muskoka and as chief of staff to former premier of Ontario, Frank Miller.
Hugh has also served on a number of provincial, federal and local boards, including chair of the Ontario Health Disciplines Board, vice-chair of the Ontario Family Health Network, vice-chair of the Ontario Election Finance Commission, and board member of Roy Thomson Hall, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Locally, he has served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, chair of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, president of Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and board member of Community Living Huntsville.
In business, Hugh Mackenzie has a background in radio and newspaper publishing. He was also a founding partner and CEO of Enterprise Canada, a national public affairs and strategic communications firm established in 1986.
Currently, Hugh is president of C3 Digital Media Inc., the parent company of Doppler Online, and he enjoys writing commentary for Huntsville Doppler.
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Yes. The wars need to stop. And yes. We cannot let Russian and Muslim Terrorists win. So, the question is how will these wars end.
Dear Mr. Mackenzie, you write:
“Many countries, sadly including Canada, are now calling for a ceasefire between the Hamas government and Israel. Of course, the killing of so many innocent people in Gaza is horrifying but it is a brutal reality of any war, this one started by Hamas themselves.”
“A brutal reality of any war.”
Meanwhile, a report from the non-partisan Committee to Protect Journalists:
“More journalists have been killed in the first 10 weeks of the Israel-Gaza war than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year, according to CPJ data. By December 20, 2023, at least 68 journalists and media workers had been killed since the October 7 start of the conflict. Of those 68, 61 were Palestinian, four Israeli, and three Lebanese.
CPJ is particularly concerned about an apparent pattern of targeting of journalists and their families by the Israeli military. In at least one case, a journalist was killed while clearly wearing press insignia in a location where no fighting was taking place. In at least two other cases, journalists reported receiving threats from Israeli officials and IDF officers before their family members were killed.”
Source: https://cpj.org/2023/12/israel-gaza-war-takes-record-toll-on-journalists/
Who should I believe, Mr. Mackenzie?
Like it or not it is human to resonate with all the anger, hurt and violence that surrounds us. Now Canada is being drawn in to the conflict in the Red Sea with the Houthis, ( an offspring of the Hamas -Israeli war) because it blocks traffic of commercial goods and fuel.Ukraine is not getting the support it will need to continue to resist the Putin attack. Very depressing and anxiety provoking all of this. I now understand why my parents did not talk about war-linked events. They were aware there was no benefit to keeping it top of mind when as individuals they could not stop it from happening or change the past, so they did not want to infect us with their anxieties. No talk of war or pointing fingers of blame.
I feel more positive about humanity’s chances when I read about peace-building and the generosity of community members to each other. Doctors Without Borders, and here the Food Bank. That caring is the resonance of human beings with each other that is healthy hopeful and constructive. Mr Mackenzie’s anxious column demonstrates that we are all connected on this planet.
It is a devastating situation in Gaza, and I find it somewhat tedious when I keep hearing opinions on who has the right to what. What is happening now, there, today, is what matters. Israel is a sovereign state, the same as the rest of us and therefore has the right to protect itself, by force of arms if necessary.
Hamas is an organization whose sole edict and purpose is the destruction of Israel. Hamas leaders who live safely away in other Arab states could care less about the people of Gaza. Those host Arab states support a proxy war, but will certainly never welcome numbers of Palestinians into their nation. They only have to peruse past history to see how that turns out. So the loss of Gaza citizens is just collateral damage, of use only in the public media. In causing people to blame Israel.
It is impossible to justify Israeli encroachment onto neighboring land, but the attacks by Hamas are not acts of war and subject to the rules of war (as if). They are terrorist aggression. You don’t take hostages according to the rules of war. If one side disregards ‘the rules’, then why should I expect the other side to be so encumbered?
But the civilian population is what suffers. And not just at the hands of the Israelis. Look back to other Hamas attacks and read where Hamas fighters hijacked relief trucks, stole the goods and shot innocents if necessary. The Times reports in Feb. 7, 2009 announced that the UN had ceased aid convoys into Gaza because those shipments were being hijacked by Hamas. If you want to look through the reports it is still happening today.
I see the Ukrainian war as being little different from the conflict in the middle east. Leave out the religion and who was there first parts, and you are left with a terrorist, putin, trying to eradicate a sovereign state. Simplistic maybe, but that is what is happening there. Now.
When it stops, and it will stop, do you suppose the UN will find the balls to find Hamas or putin guilty of war crimes? They will certainly sanction Israel, but Russia has veto power and Hamas will just middle finger them. And you can be sure there are crimes being committed on all sides. In both wars. It is war!
But I don’t find UN sanction being as devastating a pronouncement as some seem to feel it is. There’s a couple hundred countries out there, quite a number of them lead by some of the most devious and hateful people on earth. Leaders who have no pity or feeling for the people they terrorize. Nations where I would not choose to travel. And they can vote for sanction by the UN. I would likely rather have them deem me a bad person.
Some will not agree. So be it. But it seems we support Ukraine against an attacker and it is Israel that has been attacked.
People will pick sides. I suppose that is to be expected. What irks me is the proliferation of the flags of warring nations being waved on the streets in my country. If you have a beef, take it back home where you can voice that anger and help if needed. We both know that won’t happen because those ‘devious and hateful people’ won’t be as patient or kind to you as we will be here.
So please just live here in peace.
Hamas Terrorists have clearly stated that their goal is to KILL ( eradicate is not harsh enough) all Jewish people. They have also made it clear that they will KILL all Jewish people at all costs. All costs seems to mean even if their ‘own’ die.
It matters not what percentage of Palestinians approve or disapprove of Hamas’ actions. Hamas will continue until their goal is achieved. If this means their ‘own’ people die in the fight – so be it.
A ceasefire seems to be not doable nor a remedy.
I agree. Any loss of life on either side is one too many.
Very, very sad. Very preventable. Peace is possible. Let go of the Ego.
Hamas may as well have attacked Gaza residents.
The death and destruction in Gaza is entirely a result of the Hamas terrorist’s unbelievably inhuman, brutal actions against innocent people from around the world on Oct. 7.
Israel’s reaction is entirely predictable.
Just as their actions to prevent it from ever happening again is entirely predictable. There will be a ceasefire only when that goal is achieved. And only then.
Israel is a first world power house surrounded by third world countries that look across their borders with envy at its prosperity. The difference is night and day. I have been to Israel, Palestine and Jordan a couple of times most recently last Christmas. The Economist ranks Israel as the 4th most successful economy in the world. It has one of the best air forces in the world and is second only to Silicon Valley California in the IT world. Israels Iron Dome defense system intercepts rockets from Gaza so effectively that Israelis don not even panic when air raid sirens sound. It has done this in a very short time passing its Arab neighbors by all measurements.
Hugh a ceasefire agreement that Hamas honors will never happen. This war could end today if Hamas wants it to and spare thousands of Palestinian lives. Despite thousands of rockets fired at Israel over the years (Israel retaliates but never fires first) https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/palestinian-rocket-and-mortar-attacks-against-israel Israel has always been at the table ready to talk, offered many two-state peaceful solutions in the last 30 years. (beginning with the Oslo Accords in 1993) All rejected by Hamas and the Palestinian government before them. Israel has piped in water, fuel for generators, electricity, built green houses, drilled wells, rebuilt the beautiful Gaza waterfront, built salination plants and delivered countless truck loads of food and medical supplies over the years. Israel invested billions to make Gaza self sufficient. Hamas will only be satisfied when they “reclaim their land from the river to the sea”.
Hugh, I also question the 85% &72% poll of Gazans/Palestinians approve of Hamas and its actions. A poll taken during this high civilian displacement, high emotions and terror of war about Hamas/government which pretends to have its people’s best interest in mind is not a real poll. https://www.timesofisrael.com/protests-against-hamas-reemerge-in-the-streets-of-gaza-but-will-they-persist/
The number of civilians killed during WW2 dwarfs the Israel/Hamas conflict by more than 1000X yet all involved emerged and managed to live in harmony and prosperity under peace accords.
Any loss of life on either side is one too many. Your thoughts and our comments barely scratch the surface as far as understanding this complicated political and religious region of the world. If it were not complicated there would be no war.
The UK, France, and Germany have now followed Canada in calling for a cease fire.
Meg: I checked a number of media sources, many of which quoted the same poll. You can see that at
https://arab.news/cf84d.
Hugh, I am troubled by your statements in this Opinion piece. You said “most Palestinians not only support Hamas as their government, but they also support them in the current war. In a recent poll, a majority of Gazans and 85% of Palestinians in the West Bank resulted in 72% of Palestinians voicing satisfaction with the role of Hamas in the current war. You also said “The reality then is that this is not just a war against Hamas but also against Palestinians, the majority of whom support Hamas which is a terrorist organization dedicated to eradicating Jewish people.”
Would you be kind enough to provide information about the poll to which you refer? I have been making a distinction between the authoritarian and terrorist government of Hamas and the Palestinian people. You have plainly said the war is against the Palestinian people and you have said that most Palestinians support Hamas in the current war.. I simply don’t believe that BUT I do respect you so I need more information about your statements before I can accept them. Many Palestinians are Christians. And, since you brought it up–I suspect Jesus was a Palestinian Jew.
I agree with what you say Hugh but we must not forget it was Netanyahu’s far right government that was encouraging Jewish settlers to push Palestinians out of their homes in the West Bank that gave Hamas the excuse they were looking for. Netanyahu has no credibility to negotiate the two state solution that the UN says is the only viable solution.
John Davis, don’t you think that humanity needs to move beyond killing people to support our economy? Is your wallet more important than human lives? What if we switch it up and support the Chinese economy based on your children’s lives? I would think a better solution is to have a fair economic world that is not based on others deaths.
Hugh, 17,000 lives is ERADICATION. 9000 dead children creates how many Hamas members? What else do they have? No children, no homes, no land, no hope!
Very well said Hugh. We ignore each of these issues at our own peril.
I don’t think people realize how much of the western worlds economy is effected by the Ukraine war and now the Israeli war. The $Billions of dollars committed to these wars is driving many plants in the US with Canadian ramifications as well.
Neither the news media or the economists seem to want to acknowledge that these plants are a big part of the low unemployment rates, the Americas are enjoying.
Not a reason to support these countries but certainly a benefit we are enjoying as we did in the first and second world wars as well.