OTTAWA — Canada has again breached its years-long policy and voted in support of a United Nations motion critical of Israel, based on concerns about the viability of a two-state solution. "The dynamics in the broader region show very clearly that conflict management, as opposed to genuine conflict resolution, is not in fact a sustainable path to peace, security and prosperity," Canada's ambassador to the United Nations, Bob Rae, told a UN plenary Tuesday. For years, Canada backed Israel in votes at the international body, but the federal Liberals changed that policy a year ago, citing concerns over policies that undermine Ottawa's decades-long policy of advocating for an eventual Palestinian country that would exist in peace alongside Israel. That change also came amid widespread concern from humanitarian groups and legal experts about Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law in its campaign in the Gaza Strip. UN member states passed a motion 157 to 8, with seven abstentions, reaffirming the illegality of Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories and condemning the use of force against Palestinian civilians. The motion passed Tuesday also calls for a peace conference, and is similar to motions brought before the UN multiple times. It called out "terror against civilians on all sides" but did not name Hamas or any Palestinian militant group, drawing criticism from Israel advocates. Rae said the motion should have been more balanced, but Ottawa wanted to signal its concern about the viability of a Palestinian state. "We voted in favour of this resolution, like many, many others (did) to signal our firm commitment to the two-state solution," he said. Rae reiterated condemnation of the October 2023 attack by Hamas against Israel, and called for the return of all hostages including the body of Canadian citizen Judih Weinstein Haggai. "All Palestinians deserve to be led by a legitimate and representative government without the participation of a terrorist organization such as Hamas," Rae told the UN plenary. Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong decried today's vote as singling out Israel, writing on the platform X that supporting the motion would "reverse Canada's long-standing position on Israel." He said that a Conservative government would be "ensuring alignment with our closest democratic allies." Tuesday's vote was supported by the U.K., Japan and most European Union states. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs says the Liberals had voted against similar motions for almost a decade. "Today's reversal to vote yes instead represents an abandonment of Canada's long-standing, principled foreign policy," the group wrote on X. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 3, 2024. Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press
Jimmy Carter's critics turned his name into a synonym for weakness over the Iranian hostage crisis. But by any measure, he also scored major achievements on the world stage through his mix of moralism and painstaking personal diplomacy. The 39th president of the United States, who died at age 100 on Sunday, transformed the Middle East by brokering the Camp David Accords, which established an enduring and once inconceivable peace between Israel and its most serious adversary at the time, Egypt. Carter again brought a sense of righteousness and nearly obsessive attention to detail to negotiate the return of the Panama Canal to Panama, defying furor by US conservatives. In two decisions with lengthy reverberations, Carter followed up on Richard Nixon's opening by recognizing communist China, and he began arming jihadists in Afghanistan who fought back against the Soviet Union, which would collapse a decade later. But Carter was crushed by Ronald Reagan in the 1980 election in no small part due to foreign affairs after religious hard-liners toppled Iran's shah and seized US embassy staff, whose 444 days in captivity were broadcast nightly on US television. Carter ordered an aborted rescue mission in which eight US troops died in a helicopter crash. Asked at a 2015 news conference about his biggest regret, Carter replied: "I wish I'd sent one more helicopter to get the hostages -- and we would have rescued them and I would have been reelected." The Iran debacle led to attacks that Carter was "weak," an image he would struggle to shake off as Republicans cast him as the archetypal contrast to their muscular brand of foreign policy. The former peanut farmer's public persona did little to help, from a widely panned speech pleading for shared sacrifice to an incident that went the pre-internet version of viral in which Carter shooed away a confrontational rabbit from his fishing boat. Robert Strong, a professor at Washington and Lee University who wrote a book on Carter's foreign policy, said the late president had been inept in public relations by allowing the "weak" label to stick. "The people who worked with Carter said exactly the opposite -- he was stubborn, fiercely independent and anything but weak," Strong said. "That doesn't mean he was always right, but he wasn't someone who held his finger in the wind allowing whatever the current opinion was to win." Strong said that Carter defied his political advisors and even his wife Rosalynn by pushing quickly on the Panama Canal, convinced of the injustice of the 1903 treaty that gave the meddlesome United States the zone in perpetuity. "Every president says, 'I don't care about public opinion, I'll really do what's right,'" Strong said. "Most of the time when they say that, it's not true. To a surprising extent with Carter, it was true." Carter, a devout Christian, vowed to elevate human rights after the cold realpolitik of Nixon and Henry Kissinger. Years after the fact, he could name political prisoners freed following his intervention in their cases, and took pride in coaxing the Soviet Union to let thousands of Jewish citizens emigrate. But the rights focus came to a head on Iran when Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi -- a Western ally whose autocratic rule by decree brought economic and social modernization -- faced growing discontent. Reflecting debate throughout the administration, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Carter's more hawkish national security advisor, believed the shah should crush the protests -- a time-tested model in the Middle East. Secretary of state Cyrus Vance, who would later quit in opposition to the ill-fated helicopter raid, wanted reforms by the shah. Stuart Eizenstat, a top adviser to Carter, acknowledged mistakes on Iran, which the president had called an "island of stability" on a New Year's Eve visit a little more than a year before the revolution that ultimately saw the shah flee the country. But Eizenstat said Carter could not have known how much the shah had lost support or that he was to die from cancer within months. "It was the single worst intelligence failure in American history," Eizenstat said in 2018 as he presented a book assessing Carter as a success. Uniquely among modern US presidents, much of Carter's legacy came after he left the White House. He won the Nobel Peace Prize more than two decades after his defeat at the polls. The Carter Center, which he established in his home state of Georgia, has championed democracy and global health, observing elections in dozens of countries and virtually eradicating guinea worm, a painful infectious parasite. Carter also took risks that few others of his stature would. He paid a landmark visit to North Korea in 1994, helping avert conflict, and infuriated Israel by asking if its treatment of the Palestinians constituted "apartheid." But the accusations of weakness never went away. Conservative academic William Russell Mead, in a 2010 essay in Foreign Policy magazine, called on then-president Barack Obama to avoid "Carter Syndrome," which he described as "weakness and indecision" and "incoherence and reversals." Carter personally responded in a letter that listed accomplishments on the Camp David accords, China, the Soviet Union and human rights, while describing the fall of Iran's shah as "obviously unpredictable." "Although it is true that we did not become involved in military combat during my presidency, I do not consider this a sign of weakness or reason for apology," he wrote.By Technology Reporter—A Zimbabwean engineer, Eng Kokerai Murombo, has achieved the prestigious Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) credential from Engineers Australia, marking an extraordinary milestone in the global engineering field. This internationally acclaimed credential represents the apex of technical excellence and is a distinction few Africans attain. It underscores Eng Murombo’s profound expertise and relentless dedication to his craft. With a Bachelor of Engineering Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Eng Murombo has emerged as a trailblazer in Australia’s mining industry, combining technical innovation with a commitment to sustainable practices. His journey reflects the resilience and determination Zimbabweans are celebrated for globally. “My goal has always been to excel and break barriers,” said Eng Murombo. “Earning the Chartered credential is not just a personal achievement; it represents years of hard work and a dedication to maintaining the highest standards in engineering. It’s an honor to showcase Zimbabwean excellence on an international stage.” Eng Murombo is also pursuing an MBA at the University of Melbourne’s Business School, aiming to enhance his leadership skills. He envisions returning to Africa as a senior executive to spearhead transformative engineering projects and inspire the next generation of innovators. “I am passionate about nurturing future engineers in Zimbabwe and demonstrating that extraordinary achievements are within reach. Together, we can build a brighter future for our communities,” he affirmed. State Media/ZimEye
The Houston Rockets finally ended a 15-game losing streak against the Golden State Warriors in a dramatic NBA Cup quarterfinal clash on Wednesday night. With a nail-biting 91-90 victory, the Rockets booked their spot in the semifinals. Rockets HC Ime Udoka credited his team’s defense for the hard-fought win, especially pointing to their resilience in the face of adversity. This victory, though, was no easy task. The Warriors were minutes away from extending their historic streak to 16 games. However, the Rockets clawed back from a six-point deficit in the final minute to steal the game, thanks to clutch free throws and some questionable officiating . Just a week after ripping apart his team’s ‘humiliating’ effort against the Dubs, Ime Udoka took great pride in praising their defense. We’re gonna continue to fight and not give up. Got stops when we needed to, hit big shots when we needed to. Got on the floor, loose balls, created that foul... As I’ve said before, you can always rely on your defense when the shots aren’t falling... That’s a recipe for success on the defensive end, for sure . "That's a recipe for success on the defensive end." Rockets HC Ime Udoka applauded his team for their elite defense in the #EmiratesNBACup Quarterfinals pic.twitter.com/Fey3UrOkoD Udoka is a stickler for defensive fundamentals. The Rockets forced the Warriors into 8 shot-clock violations and scored 30 points off 22 turnovers. Keeping the Warriors, a top-five defensive team, off the free-throw line was another key element of their game plan. Houston only allowed 9 trips to the charity stripe, showcasing their defensive discipline (and, of course, the ‘questionable officiating’). The Rockets’ defensive efforts are no fluke. They currently boast the second-best defense in the league, trailing only the Oklahoma City Thunder , their semifinal opponent. Ime Udoka ’s strategy relies heavily on forcing mistakes from opposing teams and capitalizing on transition opportunities due to their own shooting woes, a formula that proved successful against the Warriors. Charles Barkley does not believe in Ime Udoka and the Rockets Despite their milestone victory, the Rockets faced some heavy skepticism from Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Charles Barkley. The Chuckster does not shy away from providing some tough love to young and old NBA teams alike. On Wednesday, he questioned the ‘prime time readiness’ of the young Rockets, led by Ime Udoka. They don’t have any idea how to play basketball. They play the game strictly on talent...They got a great record, they’re not ready for prime time... They relevant, they got a terrific coach, now they got to learn, like, ‘we got to take care of the ball, we got to stop taking bad shots . "They don't have any idea how to play basketball" Chuck isn't impressed by Houston's run to Vegas pic.twitter.com/nhFui0RmG9 Charles Barkley’s comments pointed to the Rockets’ lack of discipline, particularly in their half-court offense. They boast a putrid 112.2 offensive rating, which in itself, is heavily inflated by their top-5 transition offense in the league. However, this is part of Ime Udoka’s strategy as the Rockets coach has been vocal about his team’s focus on getting up and down the court with their gritty defense. With the semifinal matchup against the Thunder looming, the Rockets will look to continue their momentum. The NBA Cup’s single-game knockout system leaves any outcome up to the imagination, giving the upstart Rockets a chance against the West-leading Thunder. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, with the winner advancing to the final to face either the Milwaukee Bucks or Atlanta Hawks. This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.