Canada: Gaza rocket strikes 'criminal'

Strong support from North American ally: Canada "vigorously condemns" a spate of rocket fire by Gaza groups against Israel, Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon said Friday.

"Canada vigorously condemns the rocket attacks on Israel launched from the Gaza Strip. These terrorist attacks, which indiscriminately target civilian areas, are abhorrent and criminal," he said in a statement.

"Israel has a right to defend itself against such terrorist acts," the statement added. "Terrorism is never justified. We call on all parties in Gaza to cease these criminal attacks. Those responsible should be brought to justice."

Meanwhile, Canada's pro-Israel government was defeated in a no-confidence vote Friday.

The defeat by Canada's minority Conservative government sets the scene for a federal election in early May.

Legislators in the House of Commons voted by 156-145 to back the motion, which was presented by the main opposition Liberal Party.

'Hamas is responsible'

 Earlier Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is ready to act with "great force" against terror attacks. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Ehud Barak toured the Gaza region, noting that some 100 rockets and mortar shells were fired at Israel during this period.

During the tour, Barak conveyed a clear message to Gaza ruler Hamas: "We do not intend to allow terror to hit our cities. Should the fire continue, we'll respond as necessary…Hamas is responsible for all the terror activity from Gaza."

On Thursday, the defense minister ordered the deployment of a first battery of the Iron Dome missile system in southern Israel to counter the ongoing rocket attacks.

Hanan Greenberg and Reuters contributed to the story

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