Current:Home > NewsA Canadian security forum announces it will award the people of Israel for public service leadership-InfoLens
A Canadian security forum announces it will award the people of Israel for public service leadership
View Date:2024-12-23 14:52:08
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (AP) — A Canadian security forum will present an award Saturday to the people of Israel following the Hamas incursion into the country that left some 1,200 dead and 240 abducted.
Following U.S. Sen. John McCain’s death in 2018, the Halifax International Security Forum presents the award annually in his honor to “individuals from any country who have demonstrated uncommon leadership in the pursuit of human justice.”
The forum, which attracts military officials, United States senators, diplomats and scholars, announced the decision in a statement late Friday.
“On the 75th anniversary of Israel’s creation, and in the aftermath of the October 7 attack that resulted in the greatest loss of life to the Jewish people since the Holocaust, it is fitting to present an award that bears Senator McCain’s name to: The People of Israel,” the statement read.
McCain was a regular at the forum and his wife, Cindy McCain, is due to present the award to representatives of Brothers in Arms. The group started as a protest movement against the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but transformed itself into the largest non-governmental aid agency in Israel to help those affected by the latest Israel-Hamas war.
The conflict erupted on Oct. 7 when militants in Gaza crossed into Israel and killed at least 1,200 people and kidnapped 240 others. Israel launched a war that has claimed over 11,000 lives in Gaza, according to health officials in the Hamas-ruled territory, who do not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
“After the horrendous attack on Israel, we put politics aside and immediately came to the aid of our fellow citizens,” Eyal Naveh, a representative from Brothers in Arms, said in a statement. “Democracy is fragile. It requires constant vigilance and attention. We are a team of action so when the people of Israel needed us the most, we answered the call.”
Past winners of the John McCain Prize for Leadership in Public Service have included the people of Hong Kong for their “fight for their rights in the face of oppression from the government of China” and the people of Lesbos, Greece, “for their valiant actions to rescue refugees fleeing conflict in the Middle East.”
Leaders from democratic nations — including former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak will participate in a discussion on Saturday — gathered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, ahead of the three-day conference on global security. This year, the forum is largely focused on the Ukraine war, but the fighting between Israel and Hamas is also a major talking point.
veryGood! (6)
Related
- When does Spirit Christmas open? What to know about Spirit Halloween’s new holiday venture
- Tony Bennett Dead at 96: Anderson Cooper, Carson Daly and More Honor the Legendary Singer
- Shakira Brings Her 2 Sons as Her Dates to 2023 Premios Juventud
- Toast the End of Harry Styles' Tour With Facts That Taste Like Strawberries on a Summer Evenin'
- Diamond Sports Group can emerge out of bankruptcy after having reorganization plan approved
- Gisele Bündchen's Look-Alike Daughter Vivian Is All Grown Up as Model Celebrates 43rd Birthday
- Why Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling Are the Perfect Barbie and Ken
- How Selena Gomez Became the Mental Health Champion We All Needed
- 13 Skincare Gifts Under $50 That Are Actually Worth It
- Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' Matilda Date Night Is Sweet as Honey
Ranking
- Democrat Ruben Gallego wins Arizona US Senate race against Republican Kari Lake
- The Baffling Story of Teen Rudy Farias: Brainwashed at Home and Never Missing Amid 8-Year Search
- Kim Kardashian and Tristan Thompson Party in Miami After Watching Lionel Messi's MLS Debut
- TikToker AJ Clementine Undergoes Vocal Feminization Surgery
- 25 monkeys caught but more still missing after escape from research facility in SC
- Gilgo Beach murders: Police searching suspect's walk-in vault
- Prince George Is All Grown Up and Here to Make You Feel Old in 10th Birthday Portrait
- Savannah Chrisley Slams Rumored Documentary About Parents Todd & Julie's Imprisonment
Recommendation
-
The Best Gifts for Men – That He Won’t Want to Return
-
TikToker AJ Clementine Undergoes Vocal Feminization Surgery
-
Victoria Beckham Performs a Spice Girls Song With David Beckham and Teases More to Come
-
Get a $198 J.Crew Dress for $32 and More Jaw-Dropping Deals Starting at $6
-
Jared Goff stats: Lions QB throws career-high 5 INTs in SNF win over Texans
-
Carlee Russell Admits Kidnapping Was a Hoax
-
US heat wave lingers in Southwest, intensifies in Midwest: Latest forecast
-
Gilgo Beach murders: Police searching suspect's walk-in vault