In Genesis 12:3, God tells Abraham, “And I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” And in Psalms 122:6, David says, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; may they prosper that love thee.” Canada has been one of Israel’s most ardent supporters in recent years and their friendship and concern for Israel brings blessing to the entire region.
Canada has a history of standing beside Israel through thick and thin, but the current Harper government has a reputation for being particularly pro-Israel. In May, Raphael Ahren of The Times of Israel examined why, and whether that stance is unique to the current leadership.
Time and again, Canada — and Prime Minister Stephen Harper in particular — have stood up for Israel against the rest of the world. In the November 2012 vote on Palestinian non-member state status, Canada was one of only nine nations to vote against recognizing a Palestinian state. This past May, Harper confronted world powers, saying, “There’s nothing more shortsighted in Western capitals in our time than the softening of support we’ve seen for Israel around the globe.” In 2008, Canada was the first country to boycott the Durban II conference when it became apparent it would be used as a platform to vilify Israel.
When asked why Canada would be so supportive of Israel, government officials repeatedly point to shared values between Israel and Canada.
“I would characterize the position as one of moral clarity,” Canadian Minister of Natural Resources Joe Oliver told The Times of Israel in Jerusalem in May. “If there’s a conflict between a democratic ally and terrorist groups that want to destroy it, we don’t see grays. The moral relativism that is sometimes a big factor is not what guides us. We think it’s important for countries to walk the walk as well as talking the talk.”
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper sends wishes on the occasion of Israel’s 65th birthday:
Other countries also share values with Israel, and oppose terror, yet are much more vocal in their criticisms of the small country. So what makes Canada different?
Oliver insisted that Canada does not recognise the legitimacy of Israel’s settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria, but other than stating that “unilateral action on either side isn’t particularly helpful,” he didn’t have much to say on the matter.
Canada’s official position on the matter did not stop Foreign Minister John Baird from meeting Tzipi Livni at her East Jerusalem office earlier this year. This caused an uproar in pro-Palestinian circles, causing Palestinian Liberation Organization spokesman Hanan Ashrawi to seethe, “Either he’s ignorant of East Jerusalem being occupied territory, which is unforgivable in a foreign minister, or it’s a deliberate attempt to change the international consensus,” referring to the fact that Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem is not recognised by the world.
According to Liberal MP Irwin Cotler, Harper’s position is not unique in Canada; what is unique is his expression of it. “ My critique of the Conservative government is not the principles that they espouse but the manner in which they give expression to those principles.” The Conservative government is much more vocal about its support of Israel than it is about its support of Palestinian causes, but it also sent the Palestinian Authority over $300 million in aid over the past five years. For the most part, the Canadian Conservatives and the opposition parties are in agreement about Middle East policy issues; in some cases, the Liberals are even more hard-line. The Conservatives, however, tend to emphasise their support of Israel over other foreign concerns, something that has garnered them criticism from both within Canada and around the world.
Still, Canada’s oil reserves and other natural resources give it the courage to stand up to the oil-rich Arabian states. Likely it is irrelevant who is running the country; Canada will remain a staunch friend of Israel.
