Canada raises Lebanon aid to $50m, condemns Israeli occupation
Ottawa increases humanitarian support for Beirut while demanding the restoration of state authority in the face of ongoing Israeli military presence.
Canada has increased its total humanitarian assistance to Lebanon for the current year to more than $50 million, a move accompanied by a sharp diplomatic rebuke of Israel’s military operations in the region.
Secretary of State for International Development Randeep Sarai made the announcement during a visit to Lebanon, where he described Israel’s actions as an “unlawful invasion.” Sarai emphasised that Beirut must be permitted to govern its own territory, asserting that the Lebanese state must retain control over its sovereign space.
The aid package, which brings Canada’s total support to Lebanon over the past decade to approximately $575 million, is designed to assist families affected by the conflict. Sarai toured shelters housing both Lebanese citizens displaced by the war and Syrian refugees, underscoring the long-term nature of Ottawa’s commitment to the region.
The diplomatic intervention comes as the conflict continues to inflict severe humanitarian costs, with more than 4,000 people killed and approximately 360,000 displaced according to United Nations figures. The escalation has also strained previous diplomatic efforts, including a US-mediated framework agreement signed in late June that established “pilot zones” to transfer security control in southern Lebanon from Israeli forces to the Lebanese army.
Tensions remain high following accusations by the Lebanese Armed Forces in late July that Israel is obstructing efforts to assume security control in the south. In March, Canada had already warned that Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity “must not be violated,” condemning plans for an Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon.
During his meetings with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Sarai received pledges to reinstate state authority across the country and implement anti-corruption reforms. However, Israeli officials have stated that their forces will not withdraw from Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed, a condition that complicates the immediate restoration of full Lebanese governance.
