Petitions with nearly 12,000 signatures oppose opening of Quebec office in Israel

Quebec Solidaire MNA Ruba Ghazal responds to media questions at a news conference, Wednesday, November 29, 2023 at the legislature in Quebec City. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

Quebec City -

Two petitions with nearly 12,000 signatures opposing the opening of a Quebec Office in Israel were tabled Thursday at the National Assembly. 

However, the diplomatic mission is already up and running, and the government has no intention of closing it.

Québec solidaire (QS) MNA Ruba Ghazal, who is of Palestinian origin, sponsored both petitions.

"The flag of Quebec must never endorse the criminal acts of [Benyamin] Netanyahu's regime, neither today nor tomorrow," she said during question period.

"Will the Minister of International Relations put a definitive end to this project?"

The signatories are calling for the opening of this diplomatic representation in Tel Aviv to be cancelled as long as Israel fails to respect its obligations towards the Palestinian people, according to the petition.

International Relations Minister Martine Biron confirmed that the office is currently "open and functional," but the head of the office is based in Montreal, not yet in Tel Aviv.

She justified the usefulness of Quebec's presence in Israel.

"You have to realize that this office is the gateway to the Middle East. The reason it was based in Israel is that in Quebec, we've had relations with the Jewish community for just over 60 years," she said.

The Legault government had announced the opening of this Quebec Office in the Jewish state last August, but in October, following the outbreak of conflict between Israel and Hamas, the inauguration was postponed.

In November, the minister left the future of the bureau uncertain, ruling out an opening in the short or medium term. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 15, 2024.