The Canadians defended Israel from the Obama Administration today.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (AP)
Canada today defended Israel against the Obama administration at the Group of 8 meetings in Europe. The Canadians forced the group to soften a statement by removing a specific mention of 1967 border plan in the Group of Eight leaders’ joint statement.
YNet News reported:
Canadian delegation blocks mention of 1967 lines in Group of Eight leaders’ joint statement calling Israel, Palestinians to return to peace talks.
Group of Eight leaders had to soften a statement urging Israel and the Palestinians to return to negotiations because Canada objected to a specific mention of 1967 borders, diplomats said on Friday.
Canada’s right-leaning Conservative government has adopted a staunchly pro-Israel position in international negotiations since coming to power in 2006, with Prime Minister Stephen Harper saying Canada will back Israel whatever the cost.
Diplomats involved in Middle East discussions at the G8 summit said Ottawa had insisted that no mention of Israel’s pre-1967 borders be made in the leaders’ final communiqué, even though most of the other leaders wanted a mention.
“The Canadians were really very adamant, even though Obama expressly referred to 1967 borders in his speech last week,” one European diplomat said.
A spokesman for Harper would not comment on the line Canada had taken, saying only that the final communiqué would make positions clear.
Obama won’t like this… Either will Hamas.
