Canada: Do Good, Speak No Evil!

"The way forward in this very specific region is a two-state solution and a just, long-standing and comprehensive peace."
"And if one can achieve that, one goes a long way in dealing with some of the larger problems that exist throughout the region."
"[Canada remains firm in its vision of a two-state solution as the best option] and anything we can do to encourage the representatives of those two peoples to get together face-to-face to negotiate the challenges, that is very much what we want to do."
"One has to find a resolution to this conflict and the role of a middle power like Canada is to encourage it as much as we can." 
"We always come back to the idea that Canada's more direct role is to be helpful on the innovative and humanitarian and development front."
Governor General David Johnston, visiting the Middle East

Canada’s Governor General David Johnston (L) listens to Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin as they deliver joint statements in Jerusalem November 2, 2016.   Photo Credit: Ronen Zvulun / Reuters

This is a peculiar kind of hubris, a nation that has struggled since its inception with the reality of  two founding nations, France and Britain, both of which colonial powers challenged one another for primacy in what was later to become the Dominion of Canada, each anxious to acquire for themselves the raw natural resources, and the power inherent in dominating ever greater geographical areas and their indigenous populations. The reality is that the French lost the decisive battle to the British. And though Canada is an officially bilingual country and celebrates both its founding forbears, French Canadians still agitate for independence and a sovereign, French nation.

That agitation has caused great disruption, including violence and destruction over the years, a dispute that has never been terminally settled since from time to time it is resurrected and French sovereigntists spare no effort to persuade the majority of pure laine French to join them in opposing continued integration into Canada, for a longed-for independence. Yet this emissary of this culturally bifurcated nation is preaching peace to a country that has since its modern-day resurrection as a nation had to counteract one military attack to destroy its existence after another.

Canada, under its new Liberal-led government with its new "sunny ways" Prime Minister has nominated itself as a solver of intractable world problems, incapable of solving its own. Including the ongoing disaffection of its First Nations peoples with whom the federal government still hasn't managed to complete to the satisfaction of both sides, historical treaty obligations. But Canada's British Royal representative in Canada does the government's bidding to promote its marriage-making professionalism. If we take the groom to be the militant faction, it is reluctant to marry itself to a bride unwilling to leave her ancestral home to make room for an acquisitive groom.

Canada's Governor General David Johnston attends a joint news conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah November 4, 2016.  (MOHAMAD TOROKMAN / REUTERS)

The allusion to "larger problems" to be resolved "throughout the region" that would be amenable to being settled if only Israel would see reason and relent, acceding to Palestinian/greater Arab demands, those demands could only be satisfied were Israel to relocate itself -- anywhere other than the Middle East, heritage be damned. As though should Israel cease to exist the tribal, sectarian, war-mongering factions in the Middle East would instantly settle all their grievances with one another and become a model of peace-making. Although Mohammad's winged horse ascended to Paradise, the horse Mr. Johnston and Justin Trudeau both peddle won't fly.

In offering to arbitrate they themselves bring to the table examples of failure after failure to resolve Canada's own problems. The fact that Palestinian leaders have been inciting, as they have done through the decades to violence, urging Palestinians to rise up against the "occupation", honouring the Jew-murdering "martyrs" who have heeded their incitement by paying their families honour-dues for the sacrifice, and teaching children from their earliest years of their duty to redeem Arab honour by viewing Jews as enemies and vowing to exact vengeance for Israel occupying Arab land as a sacred obligation, is of little moment, evidently.

Palestinians, the world's longest-reigning "refugees", content to live on handouts from the international community, enabling them to present themselves as helpless to do anything for themselves, requiring unending financial support, empathy and understanding that they are oppressed and ill done by under an apartheid government that allows its population to include citizenship for Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze, Kurds, Zoroastrians, Baha'i and those who profess no religion, whereas the Palestinian Authority makes it clear that no Jews may live among them.

An existential impracticality as it happens, that the world is happy to ignore, in that Jewish lives are threatened in any event, in direct exposure to Arab Palestinians who view them as disposable. If the Palestinian Authority was the least bit interested in a two-state solution it would be teaching its population civility, not to hate Jews, but to view them as prospective neighbours with whom peace can be attained, and to accept that Israel is there to stay, and it is entirely feasible to live beside one another without animosity. Something that some Palestinians discover on their own.

Israel doesn't need a country like Canada to treat it to the condescension that is seen in Mr. Johnston's sincere remarks as a superior person from an exceptional country. And nor do the Palestinians need to be treated like children who can never attain to achieving maturity given the opportunity. The problem is that the Palestinian Authority, like other Palestinian leaders before them, have no intention of preparing their people to be part of an independent, well-organized and -administered country able to advance its interests without threats to the existence of an established country.

Only when the Palestinian leadership finally agrees that Israel has every right to exist as and where it does, and the Palestinians have much to learn from the Israelis about good stewardship and civility and decent behaviour toward others, resolving to do for themselves what handouts have so far given them, will it be possible to contemplate the eventuality of a two-state solution. The Palestinian Authority, for beginnings, must put a stop to its inner resolve to take possession of all the land they claim, including that upon which Israel sits.

Mr. Johnston's claims of Canada 'supporting the push for peace' through projects meant to produce a foundation for a prosperous and secure Palestinian state are preposterous. What has the PA done in a positive manner thus far after 70 years of international financial support to lay claim to preparedness for nationhood? Where is the critical infrastructure? Where is the intelligent design of a new country rather than the aspiration to claim everything that heritage supports as Israel's right of existence as their very own? If the PA could rewrite the Old Testament substituting 'Palestinian' for 'Hebrew' they would.

In fact, that may be the next project coming up, after they've finished presenting the UN's UNESCO with the proposition that the Dead Sea Scrolls are the property of the Palestinians, their very own heritage symbol of ancient inheritance.

The Palestinian Authority is preparing to lay a claim to the Dead Sea Scrolls at the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization    ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY researchers utilize advanced technology to piece together thousands of fragments from the Dead Sea Scrolls.. (photo credit:IAA)