What!! No Israeli Presence?

One of those "diplomatica" items one generally doesn't bother perusing. All the national capital news and gossip about the diplomatic set, what's happening at the various embassies, news about national celebrations, and local variations thereof; that kind of thing. But the headline caught my eye: "Celebrating Canadian-Arab Co-operation", so I was hooked. And went on to read with some degree of interest.

That, to highlight the 25th anniversary of the Canada-Arab Business Council, a social-business event was staged in Ottawa where those interested in two-way trade opportunities were present to mark the occasion. Present also were a number of government Cabinet ministers, including the Minister of Health, the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Maxime Bernier, Canada's foreign affairs minister, delivered the keynote address, elaborating on Canada's three-pronged interests in furthering Canada-Arab relations. He mentioned firstly a focus on increasing this country's efforts in support of peace promotion and prosperity. Secondly, assistance to the business community to encourage increased trade between Canada and the Middle East. And thirdly, increasing investment by Canada in the Mideast.

"I've made trips to Israel, the West Bank and the United Arab Emirates", he said, rather significantly. "And I was impressed by the business opportunities." Nothing to cement relationships like the prospect of increasing prosperity through trade with other countries. It's always been a magnet for state-to-state activities and never more so than in our current era of global commercialization.

And then Mr. Bernier cut to the quick: "Beyond business, though, is the overriding goal of encouraging peace between Israel and Palestine"; between a state and an as-yet non-state. "Our first and most important commitment is to support talks between Israel and Palestine", said he, stressing the need for an agreement that will uncategorically recognize Israel's right to live next to its neighbours - and the right of the Palestinian's to a viable state of their own.

There it is, up front, frankly addressing the core of the problem, and directed toward those representatives whose governments have yet to formally acknowledge the right of existence of Israel. Canada's generous support to the Palestinian Authority, he said, represented this country's trust in the efforts being made by the PA to reach an agreement with Israel. We can only hope that trust will not prove to be misplaced.

Certainly, it doesn't seem to the casual observer that surrounding Arab states have gone out of their way to welcome Israel to the region, however belatedly, nor that those same states have exerted themselves notably in a mad scramble to encourage the Palestinian Authority to put up and shut out their Fatah-affiliated terror groups.

United Arab Emirates Ambassador Hassan Al-Suwaidi, politely expressed his appreciation for the frank and open discussion - one-sided though it might be viewed; it will certainly give those present ample fuel for further discussion amongst themselves - and informed him how pleased the Arab world is with Canada's actions in the region.

Which may be stretching it a mite, given Canada's steadfast support under the new Conservative-led government for the State of Israel.

One can only wonder when the self-sustaining and -enabling business group might think to expand their mandate from representing the Canada-Arab Business Council to the Canada-Middle East Business Council, with a view to including Israel. Some of those states themselves do trade with Israel, as it happens, although they're certainly in a minority position.

Should that ever come to pass, not only would diplomats from Morocco, Yemen, Egypt, Sudan, Kuwait, Syria, Jordan, Algeria, Palestinian Authority, Lebanon, and Tunis be present and accounted for, but one from Israel as well.

In the best of all possible Middle East scenarios.