ISRAEL TODAY
Sunday, May 29, 2011 | Ryan Jones
by Elad Benari
Sunday, May 29, 2011 | Ryan Jones
Canada to world: Lay off Israel!
Canada further emerged as Israel's new best friend on the international stage at last week's G8 Summit in Deauville, France.
Playing off US President Barack Obama's recent foreign policy speeches, the G8 leaders were keen to use their closing statment to demand that Israel retreat to its 1967 borders.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was having none of it.
According to reports from the summit, Harper blocked all efforts to include references to the 1967 borders in the closing statement. The statement that finally read did call for renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, but put no pressure on Israel to accept dangerous pre-conditions.
Harper also blocked huge financial aid packages to Egypt, which in its current transition phase has been cozying up to Iran, Hamas and other regional Islamists.
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman at the weekend phoned his Canadian counterpart to express his deep gratitude for Harper's efforts and for Canada's support at a time when Israel is feeling increasingly isolated.
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Canada Advises Citizens Against Taking Part in Gaza Flotillas
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Published: 05/30/11, 5:04 AM / Last Update: 05/30/11, 5:14 AMCanada advised its citizens on Sunday against participating in flotillas to Gaza.
In a statement released in advance of the one-year anniversary of the May 31, 2010 , and in advance of the planned Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird said: “I strongly urge those wishing to deliver humanitarian goods to the Gaza Strip to do so through established channels. Unauthorized efforts to deliver aid are provocative and, ultimately, unhelpful to the people of Gaza.”
Baird added that “Canada recognizes Israel’s legitimate security concerns and its right to protect itself and its residents from attacks by Hamas and other terrorist groups, including by preventing the smuggling of weapons.”
He also noted that “there are legitimate and constructive ways to help the people of Gaza. One way is to donate to the International Committee of the Red Cross/Red Crescent. The organization has people on the ground in Gaza to help deliver, among other things, clean water and health care.”
Canada is a staunch supporter of Israel. Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the G8 summit to force Israel into final status talks based on accepting the 1949-1967 Armistice lines, with land swaps.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman later , saying that Canada is a “true friend of Israel.”
In his statement on Sunday, Baird also mentioned kidnapped Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit.
“I would note that Canada continues to call for the immediate return of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, held by Hamas for almost five years, to his family in Israel,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Turkish IHH group, which stood behind last year’s flotilla to Gaza, said on Sunday that the opening of the Rafiah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza over the weekend the new flotilla from sailing.
“In the past, we went there for Gaza, but now we are going for humanity and the law,” IHH Head Bülent Yıldırım told the Turkish daily Hürriyet.
(IsraelNationalNews.com)
Baird added that “Canada recognizes Israel’s legitimate security concerns and its right to protect itself and its residents from attacks by Hamas and other terrorist groups, including by preventing the smuggling of weapons.”
He also noted that “there are legitimate and constructive ways to help the people of Gaza. One way is to donate to the International Committee of the Red Cross/Red Crescent. The organization has people on the ground in Gaza to help deliver, among other things, clean water and health care.”
Canada is a staunch supporter of Israel. Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the G8 summit to force Israel into final status talks based on accepting the 1949-1967 Armistice lines, with land swaps.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman later , saying that Canada is a “true friend of Israel.”
In his statement on Sunday, Baird also mentioned kidnapped Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit.
“I would note that Canada continues to call for the immediate return of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, held by Hamas for almost five years, to his family in Israel,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Turkish IHH group, which stood behind last year’s flotilla to Gaza, said on Sunday that the opening of the Rafiah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza over the weekend the new flotilla from sailing.
“In the past, we went there for Gaza, but now we are going for humanity and the law,” IHH Head Bülent Yıldırım told the Turkish daily Hürriyet.
(IsraelNationalNews.com)
