Without a shred of a doubt, Bob Rae, Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations, firmly believes Iran has a hand in the recent attacks that have befallen Israel. In an interview aired this past Sunday, Rae conveyed his certainty about Iran’s involvement in these grave incidents. “The involvement of Iran is evident and undeniable,” declared Rae. He further explained that there seems to be a pattern and these occurrences cannot be brushed off as mere accidents or coincidences.
He emphasized that Iran, unlike other countries in the Middle East, refuses to acknowledge the existence of the State of Israel. Rae added that it’s quite evident to anyone observing that Iran aspires for the disintegration of Israel, a goal they are very vocal about.
Despite a surprise assault from Hamas militants on Saturday sparking an outbreak of violence in Israel, the fighting continued unabated throughout Sunday. Rae reiterated that in his extensive experience, there was no uncertainty that Iran had played a role. He stated, “There seems to be no plausible alternate explanation.”
He also talked about the limitations of intelligence in many aspects, still insisted that clear evidence indicated that Iran supports forces outside its territory that are actively working towards the destruction of Israel. “This isn’t baseless fear, this is tangible proof,” he affirmed.
Reports describe the current situation as the deadliest escalation witnessed in the region in recent history, with civilians, including women, children and the elderly, held hostage by Hamas. Various sources suggested that Hamas might try to negotiate a swap of these hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Rae mentioned that more details regarding these hostages, such as their identities and circumstances, were to be disclosed by Hamas. Meanwhile, amidst all these accusations, Iran has refrained from acknowledging any involvement, claiming instead that the attacks on Israel are merely acts of self-defense.
In addition, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced that he had not observed any credible evidence linking Iran to the recent attacks in Israel.
Additionally, Lebanon’s Hezbollah also initiated attacks on Israel in the aftermath of Hamas’ surprise attack. Rae asserted that “Hezbollah is under the command of Iran, as is Hamas. I firmly believe that this conflict is fuelled, masterminded, and technically backed by Iran.”
His sentiment is shared by the international community, including Canada, who have widely condemned these attacks. An emergency meeting is scheduled to be held today by the United Nations Security Council to discuss and tackle the present crisis.
