Unlikely allies - Israel’s new North American friend

Economist ^ | May 27th 2010

[nuconvert]

THE last time Binyamin Netanyahu visited Canada, in 2002, he had to cancel a stop at a Montreal university after protests turned violent. When Israel’s prime minister meets Stephen Harper, his Canadian counterpart, in Ottawa on May 31st, he can expect a far warmer welcome. While Israel’s relationship with the United States has been strained during Barack Obama’s presidency, its ties with Canada have flourished under Mr Harper. “It is hard to find a country friendlier to Israel than Canada these days,” said Avigdor Lieberman, Mr Netanyahu’s ultranationalist foreign minister, on a trip to Ottawa last year. “No other country in the world has demonstrated such a full understanding of us.”

Mr Harper wasted little time in changing Canada’s traditionally even-handed stance towards the Middle East. One of his first moves as prime minister was to cut funding to the Palestinian Authority after Hamas’s victory in legislative elections. In July 2006, he called Israel’s controversial pounding of southern Lebanon “measured”. He stood by his words even after seven Canadian civilians and a Canadian UN peacekeeper were killed in the onslaught. Peter McKay, then the foreign minister, explained that “it’s not a difficult choice between siding with a democracy that’s being attacked by terrorists and a group of cold-blooded killers.”

[gidget7]

Indeed it is!! Thank God for Canada on this one!

[I see my hands]

"I didn’t realize we were talking about hockey here"

It's your actions coming back to haunt you. I suppose the Americans in attendance at hockey games didn't realize they were joining anti USA rallies, there.

[Army Air Corps]

Good on ya, Canada.

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

[caww]

Israel might see them as a friend...but with one eye open to be sure. Israel needs to depend on God just as He said for them to do....but be cautious when trusting “friends”. Canada swings with the tide...I think BiBi knows this.

[fanfan]

Thanks for the ping, Civ.

Canada ping, Clive.

[fanfan]

Let me know when any/every idiot in the United States speaks for you.

:-)~

[fanfan]

Sure, just as soon as I'm done paying for your defense.

You know, I am getting a little sick of this argument.

Have you ever stopped to think of what your defense costs might be if you shared a border with Two hostile Nations?

We've always been the nice little buffer between you and the USSR/Russia, with our two countries working together, as friends and allies. We are not sending 25 Million people illegally across your border. Heck, that would only leave 6 Million of us!
;-)

Point is, the mean spirited generalizations aren't helpful. Specifically here on FR, where Conservatives gather.

Mark Levin just told a caller from Israel (not exact words) "Please tell the people that Americans support you, regardless of what our government is doing"

We are fighting the same enemy. We are on the same side.

[kanawa]

If you go back to his original post,
you can see the little feller is just asking for a hug.

[Clive]

Thanks for the ping, fanfan.

[Don W]

The booing happened TWICE, in Quebec, by a bunch of Quebecois separatist idiots. The reaction of the VAST majority of Canadians was horror, embarrassment, and mortification.

Should we judge YOU for the actions of the NOPD during and after Katrina?

[headsonpikes]

IMHO, your tagline is a ruse, you’re a lumpen from Shelbyville!

[Canadian Outrage]

I am a Canadian and i don’t like Socialized Healthcare either. But I do love Isreal and Stephen Harper is a Christian Conservative and so I have been very proud of his treatment of Isreal since he became Prime Minister. Canada has been the first to up and walk out on the Muslim foul mouthed brutes every time in the United Nothings. CO

[Canadian Outrage]

Most of us are not like that FRiend. Many of us love America. I, personally have over 30 American born relatives and many friends. Every nation has its boors. CO

[dennisw]

Notice the sneering pro-Muslim slant of the little bast**ds at the Economist. What a rotten malicious magazine. I have read it a few times over the years when trapped on airplanes.

[Canadian Outrage]

Bullshit. I seem to recall that it was Canada that rescued your prisioners in Iran too and issued them all Canadian passports and got them out of that hellhole. Talk about back stabbing. CO

[fanfan]

You’re welcome Clive.