[R-G] Made in Israel Foreign Policy Puts Canadian Lives at Risk

[Anthony Fenton]

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2009/03/made-in-israel-foreign-policy-puts-canadian-lives-at-risk/

Made in Israel Foreign Policy Puts Canadian Lives at Risk

by Bob Gordon / March 2nd, 2009

Speaking at an event sponsored by the United Jewish Appeal Federation  
of Greater Toronto to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding  
of Israel in May, 2008 Prime Minister Stephen Harper described  
Canada’s support for Israel as “unshakable.” Earlier in the day  
Harper had told the Canadian Jewish Political Action Committee (CJPAC)  
that anti-Israeli sentiment was “really just a thinly disguised veil  
for good old fashioned anti-Semitism.” In a statement issued less  
than a week later marking the same anniversary the PMO noted that,  
“We count ourselves among Israel’s staunchest friends.”

These pronouncements represent an accurate appraisal of the Tory  
government’s stance since its election in early 2006. With Canada’s  
recent decision to boycott, along with Israel, the planning for the  
Durban 2 anti-racism conference Canada has become Israel’s strongest  
supporter. Even the United Sates does not have the loyalty from Canada  
that Israel does.

This new policy represents a significant departure from Canada’s  
historic Middle East policy of following a middle path. In the wake of  
the Suez crisis Lester Pearson, then Canada’s Minister of Foreign  
Affairs won a Nobel Peace Prize for brokering a ceasefire and  
organizing the first United Nations peacekeeping mission. Since then  
Canadian peacekeepers have served in the Sinai, Lebanon and the Golan  
Heights.

Only two month’s after the election of Harper in January 2006  
shifting policy winds made themselves apparent. In March 2006, Canada  
was the first state, other than Israel, to cut off aid to the  
Palestinian Authority after Hamas won the election to the Palestinian  
legislature. That summer the Canadian government refused to sign a  
resolution that expressed sympathy for the Lebanese civilians caught  
up in the Israeli invasion of that country. Harper described the  
resolution as “a case of political correctness gone mad.”

Not surprisingly, this seismic shift in Canadian policy has become  
evident during the recent Israeli invasion of Gaza. On January 23,  
2008, the United Nations Human Rights Council voted on a statement  
that expressed concern about Gaza’s civilians as a result of “the  
series of incessant and repeated Israeli military attacks and  
incursions.” Alone on the 47 member Council, Canada voted against the  
resolution.

On February 4 the Honourable Lawrence Canon, Minister of Foreign  
Affairs and the Honourable Bev Oda, Minister of International  
Cooperation issued a statement that blamed Gazans, and their  
democratically elected government for the invasion: “Hamas  
precipitated the recent crisis by its rocket attacks on Israel.”

The day before the frightening practical implications of this  
unconditional support for Israel were made shockingly clear. Eva  
Bartlett, a Canadian citizen currently in Gaza reported to the mission  
in Tel Aviv that she was “being shot at by Israeli soldiers on the  
other side of the border fence.”

Her blogpost of the incident continues, “Jordie Elms, the Canadian  
attaché in the Tel Aviv office, informed us that “Israel has  
declared the 1 km area along the border to be a ‘closed military  
zone’” and added that humanitarian and aid workers need to “know  
the risk of being in a closed area”. Meaning, apparently, that it is  
OK with Jordie that Israeli soldiers were firing on unarmed  
civilians.”

Shocked by this statement I contacted the Department of Foreign  
Affairs and International Trade. Middle East spokesperson Rodney Moore  
asked that I put my questions into writing. On February 9 I did so  
asking for comment on “Canada’s position on the IDF declared ‘no- 
go’ zone extending 1 kilometre into Gaza” and “allegations made  
by a Canadian international observer, Eva Bartlett” about contacting  
the mission while under IDF fire.

Four days later Moore responded with a three-part, diplomatically  
worded non-answer:

     Canada welcomed the cessation of hostilities between Israel and  
Hamas. What is needed now is a permanent, sustainable and durable  
ceasefire, as called for in United Nations Security Council 1860, so  
that Israel and the Palestinian Authority can return to the peace  
process.

     The security situation in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip is  
very poor and unpredictable due to inter-factional violence and  
ongoing military operations.

     In its travel advisory to Canadians, Foreign Affairs and  
International Trade Canada advises Canadians against all travel to the  
region surrounding the Gaza Strip due to the risk of rocket and mortar  
launches, gunfire and of ongoing military activity.

His response is remarkable for reasons other than its absolute  
irrelevance to the questions that were submitted. It twice states that  
risks to civilians and foreign nationals are a result of Palestinian  
actions―“inter-factional violence” and “rocket and mortar  
launches”–as well as “military operations” and “military  
actions.” In the specific circumstances of the Bartlett incident this  
is categorically untrue.

It also highlights the emasculation of DFAIT. Under Harper’s  
autocratic style, Ministries and their spokespersons have been reduced  
to parroting the party line as it is delivered from the PMO and  
issuing meaningless, generic statements to the media. In this case the  
message is that staunch support” of Israel extends to blaming Hamas  
and Israel equally for the recent fury in Gaza even to the extent that  
the safety and security of Canadian citizens be damned and disregarded.

Bob Gordon writes from Guelph, Ontario. He can be reached at: bob34g at gmail.com 
. Read other articles by Bob.