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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland.

Listen Up! My conundrum

There is no question that the war between Israel and Hamas is devastating. Very few people with a heart in their body can stomach the near famine or the substantial death and destruction that we are seeing in that part of the Middle East. There is almost a universal cry for a ceasefire and an ultimate goal by many for a two-state solution with Israel and Palestine living side-by-side peacefully.  

How I wish that were possible. The hard facts are it is not.

A ceasefire by itself, at least a temporary one, may be possible and indeed, it appears necessary to bring real relief to those suffering the most. But it does not come close to really solving the problem and a ceasefire cannot last. 

Even a temporary ceasefire will require neutral forces in Gaza to prevent what is happening now, and that is Hamas supporters commandeering supply trucks the moment they cross into Gaza for their own purposes and not to aid those that need it the most. 

Hamas terrorists do not care about the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. They use them as shields. They hide in their hospitals and schools and build tunnels under their public institutions. They believe intrinsically that the more harm that can come to innocent people in Gaza, the more sympathy they can garner around the world, and the fewer people will remember how all of this actually started.  As a strategy, that is a priority for Hamas and the government it controls. 

Sadly, it has been an effective strategy and as a result, pro-Palestinian sentiment and antisemitism are growing globally at an alarming pace, even resulting in accusations of genocide, especially from Hamas itself.  

But one must remember that the embedded intent of Hamas is to destroy Israel. Warren Kinsella, a Canadian journalist, and political pundit, put it this way: “Since ‘from the river to the sea’ is literally a call to wipe out Jews and the Jewish state, running around and accusing others of genocide is a bit hypercritical, isn’t it?”

For a ceasefire in Gaza to work, even temporarily, those who demand it must also be those who enforce it and in doing so, must recognize that Hamas will never cease their resolve to destroy Israel. Therefore, in any ceasefire, measures must be put in place to effectively handcuff Hamas to prevent them from using this lull to re-arm and prepare for further attacks on Israel or prevent much-needed aid from getting to the people who really need it in Gaza. Is that possible? I don’t know.

What I do know is that it was Hamas terrorists, agents of a Hamas-controlled government who started this war, who held and are still holding more than 100 Israelis hostage and have raped and beheaded others. I believe too, that such atrocities will not stop as long as Hamas exists. I am also aware from recent polling that at least 70 per cent of Palestinians approve of what Hamas is doing. They should not therefore be surprised that there are consequences for that. 

This past week, Canada’s Parliament passed a resolution that was heavily weighted toward Hamas. The weasel words were there but, nevertheless, they wanted the war stopped regardless of the effect it would have on Israel’s sovereignty, and they endorsed a two-state strategy that they fully know will never work as long as there are people like Hamas who are dedicated to the eradication of Israel and Jews.

It was frankly embarrassing to see some members of Parliament in those chambers wearing kaffiyehs for the vote on this motion to indicate their support for Palestinians and Hamas. Even more disturbing was the one member of Parliament who entered the House wearing a Palestinian pendant that completely erased Israel. That was a statement, and, in my view, no Canadian elected official should be advocating for the disappearance of Israel. 

I applaud those members of Parliament who voted against this motion. I especially applaud Melissa Lastman, a well-regarded Jewish Member of Parliament who said this: “This motion is not about a ceasefire. This motion is about rewarding Hamas for their massacre. This motion is a vote to reward the murder, the rape, the kidnapping of Israelis. And this motion is deeply irresponsible for this Parliament.”  

And so, here is my conundrum.

I fully and unconditionally support Israel, its right to be there, its sovereignty, and its right to defend itself in a manner that will ensure its future security. I also believe no meaningful discussions toward a resolution can occur before all hostages brutally taken by Hamas terrorists in an act of war, are unconditionally and fully returned or accounted for. 

On the other hand, I also believe there now exists a real need for a ceasefire to address the serious humanitarian issues in Gaza in a manner that ensures that help goes to the people who really need it. No one, regardless of whom they believe to be at fault, wants to see this level of devastation. 

But how can these two very different realities be reconciled? How do two opposing forces, one of which is dedicated to the destruction of the other, find a middle ground that will bring peace and prosperity to that part of the Middle East without further conflict?

Sadly, I do not have an answer to that but I sure hope someone does!

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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15 Comments

  1. Anna-Lise Kear says:

    Thank you, Mr. Mackenzie for writing about this tragedy, one that has had twists and turns over several generations. I am of a similar perspective to that of Mr. Holland.
    People, this is a mine-field for Any PM and Canadian governing body.
    I consider myself pro-Israel, but I am not a Zionist at all costs.
    Hard lines on each side perpetuate the suffering. Inability to consider and work towards a two-state solution appears to make the most sense- but feelings, history, revenge, retaliation- keep this peace work from taking hold.

  2. Jake Ferguson says:

    Another day, another Greg Reuvekamp attack on the prime minister. Surely the agonzing suffering on both sides of this war doesn’t need your backward attempt to keep trolling the prime minister. I wonder how sad your life is that you need to attack the prime minister on a daily basis. Readers get it, you’re a climate change denier, a speaker of half truths, a freedom loving hater of other ideas. Nothing will satisfy your urge to criticize. Speaks volume of your character.

  3. Allen Markle says:

    Hugh Mackenzie: Might I suggest that our western conundrum is because we choose to believe there are such things as the rule of law, rules of war and the Geneva Convention. These so called ‘civilized elements’ of conflict are looked on differently by some combatants and not at all by others.

    We try to see things from different perspectives and might feel compassion for one side or the other, maybe even both. To try this in Gaza is an impossible errand. Hamas declares that only the eradication of Israel is acceptable, and any means will justify that end. The Palestinians are simply a human shield and their loss is not a loss if it may sway our western sympathies.

    I imagine the Hamas mindset concerning Gazans as human shields is as Ruhollah Khomeini pronounced when Iraq and Iran squared off in the 1980s. The then ayatolla’s pronouncement on the using of human shields was: If corrupt Iraq (Hamas today)makes a (human) shield of a group of innocent Muslims (Palestinians today), it is obligatory for us to kill both Muslims and non-Muslims” and that’s okay because “the Muslims are martyrs and go to heaven and the infidels are infidels and go to hell.”

    So I will side with the Israelis and understand that there is no negotiating with something that will only be appeased by your destruction. I guess if I put myself in the position of a combatant facing death, I will shoot ’til it quits banging and to Hell with Geneva. If I lose I lose, but I took my best shot. So to speak.

    This war is under a black flag and only Israel will be sanctioned as in contravention of the ‘rules of war’. Hamas, and the rest who pull their strings couldn’t give a damn.

  4. Deborah Madill says:

    Hugh and all but one of the writers have succinctly expressed what I have been thinking. It seems that a lot of people have forgotten that it was the Hamas who started this conflict.Why don’t we hear world leaders meeting with Hamas leaders demanding a cease fire or for them to stop the war they started.If the Hamas stepped down they would save millions of lives. War as a whole is devastating As as a writer mentioned this conflict is also putting Ukraine at further risk and in my mind that is a war we must help Ukraine win. Russia must lose this war.

  5. Greg Reuvekamp says:

    Mr Holland disagrees with my analysis of the current state of affairs between the Trudeau government and the evil zealots and despots who rule Iran. I agree with him that there are many good people in Iran who yearn to come out from under the heel of these tyrants. What would those people think of the sight of Trudeau kowtowing to these villains, as he did just one month after that plane was shot down, and so many Iranians and Canadians murdered. I refer to his much criticized meeting with the Iranian foreign minister. Trudeau’s cowardice will embolden Hamas and their supporters here, and will put Jewish Canadians at risk

  6. Doug Beiers says:

    I never thought I would say this (shock), but, Hugh Holland’s comments are very insightful and he should be congratulated for a somewhat balanced view, especially listing some historical facts.

  7. Ruby Truax says:

    “The best predictor of future behaviour is relevant past behaviour”.

    There was a ceasefire in place on October 7, 2023. Hamas broke that ceasefire when they viciously attacked 20 communities, military bases and a music festival in Israel, killing over 1,200 people and kidnapping over 200, including children. Two weeks later, Hamas official Ghazi Hamad told journalists, “We will repeat the October 7 massacre time and again, a million times if we need to, until Israel is annihilated … everything we do is justified.”

    You can’t broker a peace deal when one side clearly states that it wants only the utter annihilation of the other, and will stop at nothing to achieve that end.

  8. Enid Young says:

    Thank you for this commentary. It is heart breaking to see what is happening in the middle east. As a Jew, I am very afraid for my grandchildren. Anti semitism is raising. We also need to feel compassion for the citizens of Gaza.

  9. Michael Salter says:

    As you point out Hugh this is a conundrum for which there is easy solution.
    Because Islam necessitates the” elimination” or conversion of all non-Muslims the real problem is actually the indoctrination of young Muslims by their religious leaders. As long as Muslim parents fail to recognize that they themselves have been indoctrinated and that their beliefs are the real cause of middle east conflict this issue will never be resolved.
    In the words of Aristotle, “Give me a child until he is 7 and I will show you the man.”

  10. David Wexler says:

    The situation in Gaza is tragic, however as you point out, Hugh, it is one of Hamas’ making. The fact is that Israel is being made out to be the aggressor and is being pilloried in the world press and by world governments and unfortunately, Jewish communities in Canada and elsewhere, are being made scapegoats in this global hatefest.
    The solution to the immediate crisis is simple (although this won’t play well to anyone with blinders on):
    1. Hamas to let go the Israeli hostages taken captive on October 7th (those that are still alive) and return the bodies of those whom they have murdered.
    2. Hamas to surrender power in Gaza so that some semblance of the rule of law can be restored.

    Immediately following this, we can move forward…to hopefully at some point, a two-state solution with Palestinians and Israelis living side by side in peace, and with hateful protests here in Canada, ending.

  11. Hugh Holland says:

    You are not alone Hugh. Thinking people everywhere have the same conundrum. But every time far right politicians anywhere give up on a two-state solution, it gets harder to achieve. In this recent case, Netanyahu was under fire in his own country for trying to rig the supreme court to his advantage and for expanding Israeli settlement in the West Bank that was intended to be Palestinian territory. That fueled support for Hamas and probably triggered the attack on Israel.

    The reality is that even if Netanyahu succeeds in wiping out all current members of Hamas, there is an inexhaustible supply of potential replacements in the Middle East that would carry on the fight. The only solution is a true and honest two-state solution. That will never be achieved by extremists on either side, and it is causing unnecessary costly division in many other countries including Canada. Having foreign parliaments like Canada take either side is not the answer. That will not force extremists to the bargaining table. Where has that ever worked?

    Greg Reuvekamp’s analysis on Iran is incomplete. Iran was a good country prior to WW2 and a neutral country during WW2. Iran was radicalized when the British M16 and the CIA planned a coup to overthrow the democratically elected government of Iran and take control of Iran’s oil. Obama tries to bring Iran back into the world community but Trump, in his vast wisdom, undermined that effort and undermined the moderates in Iran. There are good people everywhere. It is always egotistical and extremist politicians that mess everything up.

  12. Bruce Fitter says:

    Thank you Hugh, for your insight and continued support for Israel. Unfortunately we as “Westerners” do not understand the complexities of the Middle East conflict nor can we fully grasp the brutal ideology of Hamas and their goal to wipe Israel and the Jewish people into extinction..

    I recently read a book which helped bring some insight into Hamas, written by one of the founding Hamas leaders (Hassan Yousef) son Mosab Hassan Yousef, the book “Son of Hamas” was a good read which showed both sides of this conflict from its infancy to where it is heading and how peace would be difficult but not impossible!

    While we all are sadden by the human cost of this war (on both sides) and I trust saddened at the growing hatred towards Israel and the Jewish people for defending itself! We must as Hugh highlighted. Not forget the atrocities committed against Israel that started this war!

    I too fully and unconditionally support Israel, its sovereignty and right to defend itself! I furthermore also wish there was a way to bring peace to the Middle East or at least a ceasefire, but sadly I believe this is not possible until Hamas is no longer a threat.

  13. Mike Jagminas says:

    Your info is incorrect and incomplete, please stop killing Gazans

  14. Greg Reuvekamp says:

    The Iranian Republican Guard Corps (IRGC) has long financed and supported Hamas terrorists along with other terrorist groups. and helped plan the October 7th attacks and atrocities against Israeli civilians. The United States lists the IRGC as a terrorist organization. Despite repeated calls from groups including the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims to designate the IRGC as such, the Trudeau government refuses to do so. What are the reasons for this refusal? Cowardice? Incompetence? or thinly veiled sympathy for the group and it’s aims? The recent meeting between Trudeau ministers Melanie Joly, Ya’ara Saks and Holocaust Denier Mahmoud Abbas, where Saks held Abbas’ hand, gives us some insight. As does former Trudeau cabinet minister Maryam Monsef, she of the ” my Taliban brothers’ infamy.

  15. Hibberd V. B. Kline III says:

    Hugh,
    As you correctly observe, Hamas is high jacking the humanitarian efforts in Gaza. Pumping aid into Gaza without enforcing order against the wishes and interests of Hamas is merely resupplying Hamas and allowing it to appear as the benefactor of the civilian population. The casualty ratio of the Israeli operation is 1.5 civilian casualties to 1 Hamas combatant, a very acceptable ratio in Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) or whatever the latest acronym is for this grueling form of combat. The best solution to this mess is to allow the IDF to finish the job as quickly as possible. The great tragedy of the Gaza situation is that it has allowed the much more significant catastrophe of Russian aggression in Ukraine to cease to be the focus of the Free World much to Mr. Putin’s delight and has postponed the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia to the glee of the Iranians.