Canadian official condemns Israel’s 'unlawful invasion' and announces new aid to Lebanon
- Canada’s secretary of state for international development, Randeep Sarai, criticized Israel’s military presence in Lebanon as an "unlawful invasion" and said Lebanon should control its own territory.
- Sarai visited Beirut to announce three new Canadian humanitarian programs for vulnerable families and women in Lebanon.
- Canada said its support to Lebanon this year has risen to more than 71 million Canadian dollars, and its total assistance over the past decade is about 800 million Canadian dollars.
- The latest Israel-Hezbollah war has displaced hundreds of thousands of people in Lebanon and caused heavy destruction in the south.
- Sarai also met Lebanon’s president and prime minister and said Canada wants to support reforms, stability and conditions that could allow refugees to return.
- Canada has criticized Israel’s military actions in Gaza and Lebanon while designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.
A Canadian government official has condemned Israel’s military presence in Lebanon as an “unlawful invasion,” saying Lebanon should govern its own territory. Randeep Sarai, Canada’s secretary of state for international development, made the comments during a visit to Beirut.
Sarai traveled to Lebanon to announce new humanitarian assistance for a country that remains affected by the latest Israel-Hezbollah conflict. He said Canada is launching three new programs to support vulnerable families and women, bringing this year’s total Canadian aid to more than 71 million Canadian dollars.
The war has displaced large numbers of people in Lebanon and left widespread damage in the south. Sarai said Canada has been working through diplomatic channels and wants to help create conditions for displaced Lebanese residents and Syrian refugees to return safely.
During the visit, Sarai met President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. He said Canada supports the government’s promised reforms and described the country as watching Lebanon with optimism, while noting that Canada continues to condemn Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel.
加拿大官员谴责以色列对黎巴嫩的“非法入侵”，并宣布新增对黎援助
一名加拿大政府官员在贝鲁特访问期间谴责以色列在黎巴嫩的军事存在是“非法入侵”，并表示黎巴嫩应当管理自己的领土。加拿大国际发展国务秘书兰迪普·萨莱是在这一行程中作出上述表态的。
萨莱此行是为宣布向黎巴嫩提供新的援助。该国仍受最新一轮以色列与真主党冲突影响。加拿大表示将启动3个新项目，支持黎巴嫩的弱势家庭和妇女，使今年对黎援助总额超过7100万加元。
这场战争已使黎巴嫩大量民众流离失所，南部地区也遭到广泛破坏。萨莱说，加拿大一直通过外交渠道推动局势缓和，并希望帮助创造条件，让流离失所的黎巴嫩居民和叙利亚难民能够安全返回。
访问期间，萨莱会见了黎巴嫩总统约瑟夫·奥恩和总理纳瓦夫·萨拉姆。他表示，加拿大支持黎巴嫩政府承诺推进的改革，并对该国前景持谨慎乐观态度，同时强调加拿大继续谴责真主党对以色列的袭击。