Achievement of Peace - and Security

"When Canada went with the crowd, voted with the Europeans, it failed to have any significant role. You only have a role when you take a stand that matters... The Stature of Canada as a foreign policy player has risen as a result of the fact that it actually takes stands now."
Einat Wilf, Israeli foreign policy adviser, former Knesset member

"All countries and people of conscience have a special place for Palestine, and Canada is making a serious strategic mistake by being dismissive of Palestinian rights. The sounds are very jarring coming from Canada, rather than the very soothing language of reconciliation, responsibility, human rights".
Hanan Ashrawi, PLO member, West Bank

It all comes down to perspective. Everyone views right and wrong from the advantage -- or disadvantage -- of what relates to them and how it affects them, positively or negatively. Anything that advances the interests of Israel is a negative to the PLO, and anything that advances the interests of the Palestinians that becomes a threat or a burden to Israel is then a negative.

Both should be addressing the imperative of the positive that accommodation toward peace would result in.

As for Hanan Ashrawi's contention, Canada's commitment is to both Israel and the nascent Palestinian state. Canada has always looked for justice to be done in settling the conflict between the two interests. Under this current Conservative-led government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Canada has simply committed more aggressively to a just settlement, and sees Israel as having more than enough obstacles in its path, not wishing to add to them.

As for commitment on the ground, Canada has commissioned members of its military to train and equip Palestinian security forces. The Government of Canada has worked toward aiding a fledgling Palestinian justice system. It is a justice system that has been accused of prosecuting critics of the ruling PLO, so it is not without its flaws; perhaps the hope is that the issue of neutrality in administering justice will eventually dawn on those under the tutelage of Canadian sponsors.

"There's no doubt that the very forthright moral leadership chosen by Canada gives it, I would say, extra clout. People sit up and take notice. It gives Canada a much stronger footprint", enthuses Mark Regev, international spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "My prime minister considers Prime Minister Harper to be a close friend ... no doubt about it. There is a special connection between the two leaders."

Not particularly welcome news to the Palestinians, but obvious enough given Ottawa's public statements and official stances within the United Nations and its sister agencies. Canada has replaced the United States as Israel's most consistent, most stalwart defender on the international scene. "What Canada has done now is very different. Under the Harper government, Canada has staked out a unique position. When you have a unique position, you're independent, then you can actually have an impact", said head of NGO Monitor, a Jerusalem-based think-tank.

Hanan Ashrawi thinks of this in a far different way, but she is not fond of the Canadian position. She refuses to reveal "openly" whether her government has undertaken to lobby Arab and Muslim countries to disfavour Canada, but it's a good bet that this is precisely what has occurred. The evidence is clear enough in Canada's lost bid for a United Nations revolving Security Council seat.

"Whatever Canada does in relation to Palestine will have an impact on Canada's standing. People ask our opinions", said Ms. Ashrawi, grimly. So, obvious enough: stand with Israel and you effectively slight the Palestinians. Distance yourself from Israel and you please the Palestinians. Choosing the former over the latter has its consequences, and the Palestinians are not loathe to use coercion of that kind. The friend of my enemy is my enemy.

"I think Canada has a major role to play because it is friendly to Israel. If you are a friend of someone and you are a friend of Israel, not only do you have a right to criticize policies, but you have an obligation to criticize."
Yariv Oppenheimer, head, Peace Now

What is abundantly obvious is that the Harper government is aware and reactive to the reality that Israel's security and future existence is one that must come with guarantees placed deeply and dependently within any peace agreement signed between Israel and the Palestinians. Without that guarantee that peace will prevail to enable a side-by-side Palestinian state to exist with a secure nd respected Israel, no agreement is possible.