Posted on 07/20/2006 8:53:15 AM PDT by Grig
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has brokered a deal with Israeli officials, to evacuate thousands of Canadians from Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon, CTV News has learned.
"This 'safe passage' deal was negotiated at the highest levels, involving the prime minister, Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay, and their Israeli counterparts," reported CTV's Robert Fife on Wednesday night.
However, Israeli officials said Canadians must go through strict security searches. Their passports will be checked, and anyone with connections to Hezbollah will not be helped.
It's unclear how the Canadians will be taken out of the area. Israeli troops entered southern Lebanon Wednesday, and air strikes continue.
Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora said 300 people have been killed in the conflict, 1,000 wounded and half a million displaced.
Israeli forces have been urging people in the region to move north, away from the attacks on Hezbollah guerrilla posts.
"For security reasons, all officials will say is that there's a special evacuation plan," said Fife.
"But it's likely to involve taking people out either through Israel, or a port which has not yet been hit by Israeli missiles."
Meanwhile, only one of seven ships arrived in Beirut Wednesday to help thousands of Canadians there, who had been waiting in blistering heat for hours to flee the country.
Some had risked their lives to reach the city's port.
Most of them will have to stay in the city overnight, and hope the remaining boats arrive Thursday.
Fife reported the six remaining boats were held up because of security concerns.
"A Turkish boat broker didn't accept Canada's guaruntees of safe passage," said Fife. "He demanded direct Israeli assurances that his boats would not be attacked, and that's what caused the delays."
Canadian officials have not said how much the evacuations will cost. All of the commercial ships were leased.
"As one official told me, 'Pick a dollar figure,'" said Fife. "What's important, though, is to get Canadians out safely."
Great White Ping
Stephen Harper - friend of Israel, friend of USA - finally a leader we can trust! (He keeps this up and I may have to amend my tag line...)
Hmmm Now why do you think the Israelis would have a higher level of security checks with people holding passports from peace loving canada???? Could it be that they also harbor terrorists??? hmmm
"U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan calls for an immediate end to hostilities between Israel and Lebanon to "prevent further loss of innocent life," Reuters reports."
Master of the Obvious strikes again. When is he vested?
"Prime Minister Stephen Harper has brokered a deal with Israeli officials, to evacuate thousands of Canadians from Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon, CTV.."
They will smuggle terrorists here, wonderful!
According to rebel_yell2's post, it sounds like that strict security should have been used for boarding the American cruise liner evacuation.
And why are there "thousands of Canadians" in South Lebanon?
Please send me a FReepmail to get on or off this Canada ping list.
LOL.
Dual citizenship. Lots from Quebec too because they are French speaking, and reasonably educated immigrants.
Yeah, but on the flip side, we did provide the American hostages with Canadian passports back in Iran...
There are plenty of places in NORTH AMERICA that harbor terrorists, last time I checked the USA was part of NORTH AMERICA...
Around 5,000 are there on vacation or business.
The rest live there, but hold dual citizenship.
I'm so thrilled to pay the costs of return passage for people who haven't even seen Canada in 25 years!/s
Respectfully, tis' the policies of the Liberal Party of Canada, that dogs us.
On a humorous note, photographs of a very young Trudeau have been unearthed- with a turban on yet. He stares upward as if looking at the gods. I have seen the more modern footage of Pierre Trudeau in a Libyan tent. It is in the desert, with a fatuous look on his mug, he wears the full outfit. To make it better, he dances around fairy like.
Ah well, how can we assure our friends "things are changing now". Stephen Harper is going up in estimation all over Canada.
Ok - I've taken the plunge - see new tag.
Yeah and I remember " Thanks Canada" Bumper stickers on every other car when I was a kid.
HOWEVER from what I read,Montreal is now a terrorist haven where jihaadists flock for support and a jumping off point. So please don't bring up one act from 30 years ago while ignoring that fact that it apears Canada has invited a muslim problem into their country.
The liberal elite in the USA have also invited a "muslim problem into their country."... happens on both sides of the boarder... no mention of the ones heading North from Mexico...
It's a global problem, not centralized to only one country.
Another dumbarsed anti-Canadian statement.
Nowhere does it say that people with Canadian passports would have a "higher" level of security checks.. And "higher" than whom??
The article states "Israeli officials said Canadians must go through strict security searches. Their passports will be checked, and anyone with connections to Hezbollah will not be helped. You can bet your ass that anyone coming into Isreal from Lebanon with any passport (including American) can expect the same tough scrutiny..
Probably for the same reason why there are thousands of Americans in South Lebanon....
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