by Esther Korson
21 January 2014
Well, I had something completely different planned for today, but once again the news came with imperatives to SHARE. Yesterday could be called “The Day of the Prime Ministers”. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s public comments in the six years that he has been in office are consistently more pro-Israel than any other foreign leaders have ever been, and he is considered to be the best friend that Israel has in the world. So when he arrived in Israel yesterday for his first official visit, it was definitely a newsworthy event!
As the IBA English TV news reported, “The Toronto Sun newspaper called it a ‘hero’s welcome’ and the Toronto Star headlined ‘A Welcome Befitting a Rock Star’. After escorting his Canadian counterpart down the red carpet during an inspection of the honour guard, Prime Minister Netanyahu greeted Harper with superlatives normally reserved for one’s best friend. Netanyahu made clear how much he appreciated the steadfast backing Israel has received from Canada on a wide spectrum of issues, ranging from anti-Semitism to the peace process to the Iranian nuclear threat. ‘And when it comes to Iran’s reported calls for Israel’s annihilation and its unrelenting development of nuclear weapons, you and Canada have stood unflinchingly on the right side of history,’ he said.
‘You have shown great moral leadership,’ Netanyahu continued. ‘When it comes to anti-Semitism you stood up unabashedly at the side of Israel and the entire Jewish people…’”
Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Harper went immediately to the Mt. of Olives for a panoramic view of the city. It helped him to realize how tiny and minute the country is and how vulnerable it is. (From my house in Jerusalem, on a clear day I can look across the Jordan Valley to see the mountains of Moab. Translated, that means that I can see the country of Jordan from my living room window! And from a different point on the western side of the city, you can see the sun shining on the Mediterranean. From Jerusalem, Israel is small enough to see across it! As Netanyahu pointed out, there is actually a street in Toronto that is longer than the entire length of Israel!)
Prime Minister Harper spoke to the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, and he was welcomed with open arms. We know who our friends are, and we don’t have very many of them! I’d like to quote first part of an article in the Jerusalem Post entitled “Harper feels no need to temper sugar with vinegar.” The article continues, “In comparison to other world leaders, visiting Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper doesn’t feel a need to balance his praise for Israel with criticism of its policies. Like US President Barack Obama’s keynote address during his visit here in March, Harper’s speech in the Knesset on Monday paid tribute to Israel’s values of freedom and democracy. Like French President Francois Hollande, who addressed the Knesset in November, Harper also hailed Israel’s spirit and resilience.
What distinguished Harper’s comment was that the ‘honey’ of his praise was not then tempered by the ‘vinegar’ of his criticism. In Obama and Hollande’s addresses, the listener knew that all the favourable comments made about Israel in the first parts of their speeches would be followed by some less favourable ones toward the end: criticisms of Jerusalem’s policies in the West Bank and the settlements.
Those lines of criticism were not uttered by Harper. He did not feel the need to balance his praise with criticism. His was not as ‘yes, but’ speech: his was a ‘yes, yes’ speech.
Over the last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—who sat and nodded his head in agreement through many parts of Harper’s words—has taken aim at what he views as the world’s hypocrisy regarding Israel; specifically, at the Europeans for slamming Israel’s settlement policies while giving the Palestinian Authority both a pass when it comes to incitement against Israel and a sense that no matter what they do, they will not be held accountable.
In a line that could have been lifted from a Netanyahu speech, Harper said the world is one where ‘moral relativism runs rampant. And in the garden of such moral relativism, the seeds of much more sinister notions can be easily planted.’ In contrast to the hypocrisy that Netanyahu bemoans, along comes a leader and shows a very different way. What a shame, Netanyahu had to be thinking to himself while listening to Harper’s words…that there are not more leaders out there like him.
Harper’s words echoed themes Netanyahu often touches upon in his speeches: that Israel’s relations with the West are rooted in history and values; that the ties are mutually beneficial, with Israel not only on the receiving end of the stick but also giving expertise and standing up as a line of defense for Western values; that Israel is unfairly singled out for condemnation and criticism that is nothing but the most recent mutation of anti-Semitism; that Israel is not the source of instability in the Middle East; that if Israel acts to defend itself, it suffers widespread condemnation; yet if it refrains from doing so, it will lead to the country’s destruction.”
Harper received a very warm welcome in the Knesset Monday. His speech—the first by a Canadian prime minister—was peppered with standing ovations, the enthusiastic likes of which may not have been seen since Netanyahu addressed the US Congress in 2011. The Canadian premier said he believes it is right to support Israel because, after generations of persecution, the Jewish people deserve their own homeland and deserve to live safely and peacefully in that homeland. Statements like ‘through fire and water, Canada will stand with you…” were met with roaring rounds of applause; and though clapping is against Knesset protocol, even speaker Yuli Edelstein joined in. Harper’s visit was truly a gift to us as a nation.
Somewhat overshadowed by the love Israel has for Harper, the Prime Minister of Romania, Traian Basescu, was also in the country. In his visit with President Peres, and in his halting English, he also had something powerful to say. “I’m for the peace negotiations but for sure the security of Israel is the basic element to be discussed, because without that security the peace will not become a reality. For sure Israel needs to have peace but this nation cannot have its security affected and all the partners must understand that.” Oh, if only Kerry and Obama were listening, along with all the rest of Europe!
21 January 2014
Well, I had something completely different planned for today, but once again the news came with imperatives to SHARE. Yesterday could be called “The Day of the Prime Ministers”. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s public comments in the six years that he has been in office are consistently more pro-Israel than any other foreign leaders have ever been, and he is considered to be the best friend that Israel has in the world. So when he arrived in Israel yesterday for his first official visit, it was definitely a newsworthy event!
As the IBA English TV news reported, “The Toronto Sun newspaper called it a ‘hero’s welcome’ and the Toronto Star headlined ‘A Welcome Befitting a Rock Star’. After escorting his Canadian counterpart down the red carpet during an inspection of the honour guard, Prime Minister Netanyahu greeted Harper with superlatives normally reserved for one’s best friend. Netanyahu made clear how much he appreciated the steadfast backing Israel has received from Canada on a wide spectrum of issues, ranging from anti-Semitism to the peace process to the Iranian nuclear threat. ‘And when it comes to Iran’s reported calls for Israel’s annihilation and its unrelenting development of nuclear weapons, you and Canada have stood unflinchingly on the right side of history,’ he said.
‘You have shown great moral leadership,’ Netanyahu continued. ‘When it comes to anti-Semitism you stood up unabashedly at the side of Israel and the entire Jewish people…’”
Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Harper went immediately to the Mt. of Olives for a panoramic view of the city. It helped him to realize how tiny and minute the country is and how vulnerable it is. (From my house in Jerusalem, on a clear day I can look across the Jordan Valley to see the mountains of Moab. Translated, that means that I can see the country of Jordan from my living room window! And from a different point on the western side of the city, you can see the sun shining on the Mediterranean. From Jerusalem, Israel is small enough to see across it! As Netanyahu pointed out, there is actually a street in Toronto that is longer than the entire length of Israel!)
Prime Minister Harper spoke to the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, and he was welcomed with open arms. We know who our friends are, and we don’t have very many of them! I’d like to quote first part of an article in the Jerusalem Post entitled “Harper feels no need to temper sugar with vinegar.” The article continues, “In comparison to other world leaders, visiting Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper doesn’t feel a need to balance his praise for Israel with criticism of its policies. Like US President Barack Obama’s keynote address during his visit here in March, Harper’s speech in the Knesset on Monday paid tribute to Israel’s values of freedom and democracy. Like French President Francois Hollande, who addressed the Knesset in November, Harper also hailed Israel’s spirit and resilience.
What distinguished Harper’s comment was that the ‘honey’ of his praise was not then tempered by the ‘vinegar’ of his criticism. In Obama and Hollande’s addresses, the listener knew that all the favourable comments made about Israel in the first parts of their speeches would be followed by some less favourable ones toward the end: criticisms of Jerusalem’s policies in the West Bank and the settlements.
Those lines of criticism were not uttered by Harper. He did not feel the need to balance his praise with criticism. His was not as ‘yes, but’ speech: his was a ‘yes, yes’ speech.
Over the last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—who sat and nodded his head in agreement through many parts of Harper’s words—has taken aim at what he views as the world’s hypocrisy regarding Israel; specifically, at the Europeans for slamming Israel’s settlement policies while giving the Palestinian Authority both a pass when it comes to incitement against Israel and a sense that no matter what they do, they will not be held accountable.
In a line that could have been lifted from a Netanyahu speech, Harper said the world is one where ‘moral relativism runs rampant. And in the garden of such moral relativism, the seeds of much more sinister notions can be easily planted.’ In contrast to the hypocrisy that Netanyahu bemoans, along comes a leader and shows a very different way. What a shame, Netanyahu had to be thinking to himself while listening to Harper’s words…that there are not more leaders out there like him.
Harper’s words echoed themes Netanyahu often touches upon in his speeches: that Israel’s relations with the West are rooted in history and values; that the ties are mutually beneficial, with Israel not only on the receiving end of the stick but also giving expertise and standing up as a line of defense for Western values; that Israel is unfairly singled out for condemnation and criticism that is nothing but the most recent mutation of anti-Semitism; that Israel is not the source of instability in the Middle East; that if Israel acts to defend itself, it suffers widespread condemnation; yet if it refrains from doing so, it will lead to the country’s destruction.”
Harper received a very warm welcome in the Knesset Monday. His speech—the first by a Canadian prime minister—was peppered with standing ovations, the enthusiastic likes of which may not have been seen since Netanyahu addressed the US Congress in 2011. The Canadian premier said he believes it is right to support Israel because, after generations of persecution, the Jewish people deserve their own homeland and deserve to live safely and peacefully in that homeland. Statements like ‘through fire and water, Canada will stand with you…” were met with roaring rounds of applause; and though clapping is against Knesset protocol, even speaker Yuli Edelstein joined in. Harper’s visit was truly a gift to us as a nation.
Somewhat overshadowed by the love Israel has for Harper, the Prime Minister of Romania, Traian Basescu, was also in the country. In his visit with President Peres, and in his halting English, he also had something powerful to say. “I’m for the peace negotiations but for sure the security of Israel is the basic element to be discussed, because without that security the peace will not become a reality. For sure Israel needs to have peace but this nation cannot have its security affected and all the partners must understand that.” Oh, if only Kerry and Obama were listening, along with all the rest of Europe!
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