Muslims in Canada stand up against Justin Trudeau.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal MPs have been banned from entering several mosques in Canada until they take a stronger stance on the Gaza war.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims and some prominent mosques issued an open letter to the government, demanding that they call for an immediate ceasefire, restore funding for the UN agency for Palestinians, and denounce Israel’s war crimes.
The letter accused the government of betraying the Palestinian cause and failing to prevent hate crimes against Canadian Muslims.
It said that the Muslim community was “beyond” tokenism and false promises from the government, which has faced criticism from different views within its party and the Jewish community over the war.
The war began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people, including several Canadians. Palestinian officials say Israeli attacks have killed more than 28,000 Palestinians.
Trudeau said he will continue to visit and engage with the Muslim community affected by the conflict. He also called for a humanitarian ceasefire, the release of hostages, and more aid to the region.
But Muslim groups said that was not enough. They called on Trudeau to oppose the sale of arms and ammunition to Israel, to support the right of Canadians to show solidarity with the Palestinians and to reject the decision of the International Court of Justice, which did not order a ceasefire or declare war genocide.
The groups also expressed concern about Ottawa’s decision to end the UN Middle East -Defunding of the East Palestine Refugee Agency (UNRWA) after it was alleged that some of its staff were involved in the Hamas attack. They said the agency is needed to provide life-saving aid and keep Palestinians alive.
Since he became the leader in 2015, Trudeau has been well-liked by many Muslims in Canada. Trudeau wanted to focus more on being kind and helping people. He went to events before Ramadan at mosques all over Canada, and people there were happy to see him.
But since October, he has faced protests from some Muslims who are unhappy with his government’s position on the war.
The letter indicated that the Muslim community was not willing to be ignored and was showing its political influence.
