Ottawa – Canada Government To Send ‘Tough Message’ To Israel As A ‘Good Friend’

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    Canada's Foreign Minister Stephane Dion speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, January 25, 2016. REUTERS/Chris WattieOttawa – Canada’s new Liberal government said on Monday it was delivering a “tough message” to Israel as a good friend after expressing concern about Israeli-Palestinian violence, Israeli settlements and unilateral Palestinian moves.

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    The statement came a day after Foreign Minister Stephane Dion was criticized for saying Palestinian initiatives toward statehood in international forums and continued Israeli settlements were unhelpful.

    “We’re steadfast allies and good friends, and good friends can occasionally deliver tough messages, but it’s by no means to suggest that we’re somehow retreating from any kind of support of Israel,” said Joe Pickerill, Dion’s spokesman.

    Dion on Sunday had issued a statement expressing concern about the Israeli conflict, sparking charges by the Conservative opposition that the Liberal government was being unfairly critical of Israel.

    “As a steadfast ally and friend to Israel, Canada calls for all efforts to be made to reduce violence and incitement and to help build the conditions for a return to the negotiating table,” Dion said in the statement on Sunday.

    His spokesman, Joe Pickerill, elaborated on Monday by saying that Canada was not trying to create a “faux balance” by equating violence by either side, but felt the need to speak out.

    “We’re not necessarily equating the violence by any means on both sides, but there have been issues, and we need to be in a position to point that out,” Pickerill said after more than 100 days of violence between the two sides.

    Dion’s statement drew a swift attack from the Conservative Party, which had adopted a resolutely pro-Israel policy while in power, for not laying blame “for recent terrorist rocket and knife attacks with Hamas, a listed terrorist organization in Canada.”

    The Conservatives, who lost the October election to the Liberals, said that by omission, the statement “equates such terrorist attacks with Israeli settlement construction. This is unacceptable.”


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    10 Comments
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    ItsMyOpinion
    ItsMyOpinion
    8 years ago

    Canada under Harper and the Conservatives was the most pro Israel country in the world. What a shame they lost the election.

    ALTERG1
    ALTERG1
    8 years ago

    The whole world saying it already from Canada to Russia to America even lot Jews, give back what you stole from the Arabs in 1967 & peace will be, that’s the only solution if you guys have mercy on your wife/kids.

    Moose
    Moose
    8 years ago

    With friends like that………
    So, what do all those who voted against Harper (and for the pro gay people say now)

    schmaltzy
    schmaltzy
    8 years ago

    We will have the same here by any Democrat, the liar Hillary or the nut job Bernie. The left cannot lend unconditional support to Israel. It’s just that simple.

    Curiosity
    Curiosity
    8 years ago

    The Jews build, the Arabs destroy, and everyone scapegoats the Jews. Nothing has changed in 3000 years of history.

    lazerx
    lazerx
    8 years ago

    Canada was a good friend of Israel, but with the new liberal PM who believes we can settle all problems with love and hugs, the Israelis just have to love and hug the Arabs more so they will return the love – well, he doesn’t understand the Muslim mind.

    Abb ass just said that Jerusalem is to be their capital, that Israel must give them the property in the 67 line, like Gilo, Ramot, Neve Yaakov, etc (meaning evicting a half of million people) and maybe they will be happy.

    Meantime, the Arab TV stations broadcast praises to become terrorists, the Arabs arm and encourage terror and the whole Koran speaks about killing us ‘infidels’.

    Really, for a PM, he seems to have inherited a pair of distortion eyeglasses from Obama and can’t see and understand the reality of the Islamic world and their goals which they believe can be achieved by lying and terror.

    fat36
    fat36
    8 years ago

    Once again hundreds of thousands of people could be getting killed around the world this is the only thing that everybody’s worried about

    kenyaninwhitehouse
    kenyaninwhitehouse
    8 years ago

    Canada learned from Kenyan organizer in chief