Future of Quebec office in Tel Aviv in jeopardy as Israel-Hamas war continues

Martine Biron smiles as she is sworn in as Quebec minister of International Relations and for the Francophonie, during a ceremony at the Quebec Legislature, in Quebec City, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

Quebec City -

Uncertainty hangs over the future of the Quebec government's office in Tel Aviv, Israel.

According to the Minister of International Relations, Martine Biron, the new diplomatic representation announced in August will not see the light of day "in the short or medium term" due to the war.

"We will reassess the situation," Biron said on the sidelines of a Friday morning announcement in Quebec City.

• Complete coverage of the Israel-Hamas war

She insisted on the need for a Quebec diplomatic post in the Middle East in general. Does this mean the bureau could move elsewhere in the region?

"No, I didn't say that," she clarified in English, leaving a certain ambiguity in the air. "I think it was central and correct. Well, will it be the same when the war's over? We'll see."

In October, the minister postponed a mission scheduled to inaugurate the office on the Canadian embassy premises.

"I don't think it's a very good time to open an office in Tel Aviv," she said on Friday. "We'll wait for peace to return. We'll take a look at the situation, then see what we can do."

Biron confirmed that the Palestinian General Delegation in Canada had already expressed its reluctance to open a Quebec office in Israel to the Legault government.

"Our position on this has always been balanced," she said. "We do business with various educational establishments in Palestine, so our position has always been that we're going to keep the same balance," the minister explained, noting that she was scheduled to visit the territory on the October mission that was cancelled.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 24, 2023.