posted July 23, 2006 10:57 AM              

British split with Bush as Israeli tanks roll in





23 July 2006 08:01

Britain dramatically broke ranks with United States President George Bush on Saturday night over the Lebanon crisis, publicly criticising Israel's military tactics and urging America to "understand" the price being paid by ordinary Lebanese civilians.

The remarks, made in Beirut by the British Foreign Office minister, Kim Howells, were the first public criticism by this country of Israel's military campaign, and placed it at odds with Washington's strong support.

The Observer can also reveal that British Prime Minister Tony Blair voiced deep concern about the escalating violence during a private telephone conversation with the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, last week. But sources close to Blair said Olmert had replied that Israel faced a dire security threat from the Hezbollah militia and was determined to do everything necessary to defeat it.

Britain's shift came as Israeli tanks and warplanes pounded targets across the border in southern Lebanon on Saturday ahead of an imminently expected ground offensive to clear out nearby Hezbollah positions, which have been firing dozens of rockets onto towns and cities inside Israel.

Downing Street sources said on Saturday night that Blair still believed Israel had every right to respond to the missile threat, and held the Shia militia responsible for provoking the crisis by abducting two Israeli soldiers and firing rockets into Israel. But they said they had no quarrel with Howells's scathing denunciation of Israel's military tactics.

Speaking to a BBC reporter before travelling on for talks in Israel, where he will also visit the missile-hit areas of Haifa and meet his Israeli opposite number, Howells said: "The destruction of the infrastructure, the death of so many children and so many people: these have not been surgical strikes. If they are chasing Hezbollah, then go for Hezbollah. You don't go for the entire Lebanese nation." The minister added: "I very much hope that the Americans understand what's happening to Lebanon."

Only hours earlier, Bush used his weekly radio address to place the blame for the crisis squarely on Hezbollah and its Syrian and Iranian backers. He said that his Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, who is due to leave for the Middle East today, would "make it clear that resolving the crisis demands confronting the terrorist group that launched the attacks and the nations that support it".

Blair is scheduled to meet Bush in Washington at the start of a US visit on Friday. Senior diplomats said that it was highly unlikely there would be a major diplomatic move to restrain Israel's planned southern Lebanon incursion at least until then.

An advance force of tanks and about 2 000 troops moved across the border on Saturday, although some of the soldiers later pulled back into Israel. The advance was backed by a fierce barrage of air strikes, including a half-tonne bomb dropped on a Hezbollah outpost. Israel focused much of its fire on the village of Maroun al-Ras, on the crest of a hill less than a kilometre across the border. It was swathed in a thick swirl of smoke.

Specially armour-plated D-9 bulldozers have also been brought in to level networks of foxholes and underground bunkers dug by Hezbollah.

Israel's army chief of staff, Dan Halutz, told reporters in Tel Aviv on Friday that any military incursion would be limited in scope. "We will fight terror wherever it is, because if we do not fight it, it will fight us. If we don't reach it, it will reach us," he said. "We will also conduct limited ground operations as much as needed in order to harm the terror that harms us."

Israeli Radio broadcast renewed warnings on Saturday to civilians to flee the area by 7pm local time on Saturday, but reports emerged of Lebanese casualties, including a seriously injured woman who was taken to a hospital in the northern Israeli town of Safed.

An adviser to Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz told said: "We are finally going to fight Hezbollah on the ground. The Israeli people are ready for this, and the Sunni Muslim world also expects us to fight Shia fundamentalism. We are going to deliver."

But he added: "We have no intention of conquering and holding territory. We plan to clean a strip a mile from our border of Hizbollah bunkers and rocket-launching sites ... We will go in and then we will go out."

The Israeli air force dropped leaflets on southern Lebanon this week telling residents to leave to avoid getting harmed in the fighting. Among the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing, there were few able-bodied men of military age.

Ali Suleiman (50) from a village near the coastal city of Tyre, said his eldest son had joined Hezbollah. "When he dies I will send another son and another and another. Tell Mr Blair, Muslims are not afraid -- not of bombs or ships or hunger. We get our power from God."

Hezbollah has operated freely in the border region since Israel withdrew six years ago, and is believed to have amassed an arsenal of around 12 000 rockets. More than a week of air strikes have done little to prevent Hezbollah from firing rockets at areas in northern Israel, including Haifa. On Saturday more than 65 rockets fell -- a dramatic increase from the previous 24 hours. Twelve Israelis were injured.

Britain's decision to break ranks publicly with the Americans will cause deep concern in Jerusalem, and a senior Israeli diplomat was at pains on Saturday night to play down any suggestion of a rift.

He said it would be wrong to interpret Olmert's response to Blair's telephone call as a rebuff. "The tone was very positive. We agree on all major aspects of this crisis and are greatly appreciative of Britain's position."

The Israeli leader's comments, the source said, merely reflected his "absolute determination to deal with Hezbollah and to see that the UN resolutions requiring it to be disarmed are finally carried through". He said Olmert had insisted Israel was hitting only targets related to Hezbollah.

Senior British sources stressed that they continued to hold Hezbollah, and its Syrian and Iranian supporters, responsible for igniting the crisis. They added that both the Syrian and Iranian ambassadors to London had been called into the Foreign Office last week to drive that message home. - Guardian

posted July 24, 2006 01:54 AM              

'Escalation is inevitable' unless Israeli soldiers released: Harper

Last Updated Fri, 14 Jul 2006 08:36:24 EDT
CBC News

Hamas must accept Israel's right to exist before there can be progress toward peace in the Middle East, Prime Minister Stephen Harper repeated Friday.

And the current crisis in the region will get worse unless militants release three Israeli soldiers, he said after meeting British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London.

"Escalation is inevitable" unless the soldiers are freed, he said. "That's the specific problem," while Hamas's failure to accept Israel is a more general issue.

The two leaders' main topic of conversation was the current crisis in the region, which has seen Israel blockade Lebanon and send troops into Gaza following the capture of three Israeli soldiers by the militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas.

After the meeting, Blair said he believes the only hope for lasting peace in the Middle East is for all parties to get back to the "road map," a step-by-step peace plan, because it represents "the only chance of peace and stability."

But Harper said there can be no progress on that plan until Hamas, which now forms the government in the Palestinian territories, accepts Israel's right to exist.

He described Israel's response following the capture of the three soldiers on Israeli soil as measured self-defence.

While Harper and Blair differ on what Harper called nuances, the Canadian leader is more at odds with the French and Russian leaders he will meet in the coming days. Both of them have criticized Israel's actions.

The meeting with Blair started Harper's first major overseas tour since he became prime minister following the January election.

Leaders discuss Kyoto

The leaders also talked about global warming. Harper said Canada isn't abandoning the Kyoto process, even though the government has said Canada's targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions are not realistic.

Blair is a key supporter of the accord.

Harper met the Queen in London, and will attend a meeting of the G8 leaders in Russia on the weekend.

That meeting's formal agenda, which includes energy security and education, is expected to be overshadowed by the Middle East crisis.

With files from the Canadian Press

posted July 24, 2006 01:55 AM              

CBC News Viewpoint | July 17, 2006

Prime Minister Harper's role in the recent Mideast crisis is interesting, and one that his own External Affairs Department may not be quite comfortable with. External Affairs has always been less than enthusiastic about Israel.

Canada's attitude to Israel has traditionally tended to be even-handed, but under Paul Martin, Canada at the United Nations voted several times to condemn Israel for its policies.

There are about 20 to 25 seats in Canada that have a sizable Jewish presence, and these seats have always been Liberal. The Reform party under Preston Manning and the Tories under Harper did not get anywhere with the Jewish vote.

The NDP has been tilting against Israel for years, and the Canadian Union of Public Employees has called for a boycott of Israel. The left in Canada is pro-Palestinian.

Canada has never been as pro-Israel as the United States. The U.S. has millions of Jews and both the Republicans and Democrats are blatantly pro-Israel. George W. Bush's war against terror is also a war in defence of Israel's right to exist and be recognized.

Bush has said about the recent Mideast crisis that Israel was only defending itself against Hamas and Hezbollah rockets, kidnappings and infiltration. But Bush has expressed concern about Lebanon.

In the Mideast crisis, only Harper has come out 100 percent for Israel. Harper is now Israel's best friend.

Harper understands that the Tories have received little of the Jewish vote, perhaps because they are a bit too socially conservative and right of centre for the traditionally small 'l' liberal Jewish vote.

Normally one would have to say Canadian Jewry would be a tough group for Harper's Tories to win over.

But that is exactly what Harper has done. Harper's stand on Israel could get Harper his majority government, even if he does not break through in Quebec.

Harper is not just playing politics in the Mideast. Harper does believe that Hamas and Hezbollah are terrorist groups in cahoots with Iran. Harper has condemned Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran for not abandoning terror and for refusing to recognize Israel.

Harper is a genuine fan of Israel and Canadian Jewry. Harper's love of Israel makes him even more of a supporter of Israel than Brian Mulroney.

The key to a majority

Harper's pro-Israel stand has outflanked the Liberals. His support for the war on terror and Afghanistan is entirely compatible with his 100 per cent support of Israel and 100 per cent denial of Israel's enemies.

The Liberals, split on Afghanistan, have said nothing about Israel's right to defend itself. The Liberals are split on Israel, as they are on Afghanistan. Michael Ignatieff is pro-Afghanistan, but he has said nothing about the present Mideast crisis and Israel.

Harper agrees with Israel that it faces threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and Syria. He has condemned this quartet as violently anti-Israel and pro-terrorist.

Harper's championship of Israel is a personal and philosophical. He admires Israel's toughness and its military elan. Like Mulroney, Harper has a deeply ingrained understanding of the problems Israel faces.

Harper banned Hamas, designated Hezbollah a terrorist organization and has repeatedly attacked Iran for its vicious anti-Semitism, its backing of terror against Israel and refusal to recognize the Jewish state.

The Liberals and the left in Canada may condemn Harper for his pro-Israel stand in the current Mideast crisis, but Harper remains steadfast, and this defence of Israel will likely win him the votes of Canadian Jewry. Harper's Mideast policies could prove to be the key to a Harper majority government.

Harper's Zionism will also guarantee that the Jewish community will sympathize with Harper's war in Afghanistan, and Canada's Jewish community is an influential one in Canadian media and business circles.

Harper's Mideast policies reflect Harper's own deep beliefs in Israel, but these policies also reflect Harper's keen sense of political strategy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LETTERS:

I didn't read Zolf's column before responding to John Gray's; presumed he would be somewhat supportive. He did an excellent job of putting Harper's statements in cold political perspective.

Vote counting is paramount with his strategy, and I suppose Harper deserves full marks for steely nerve, but the fallout of face saving will cost us millions that could be so much better spent! Doesn't provide much hope for Canada speaking as a force for peace!

—Jeanne Lamb

Larry Zolf's article on why Harper backs Israel is right on the mark. Harper is just showing his true red-neck colors for what they are. A policy of fairness toward the Middle Eastern combatants has never been on his mind, nor even open for debate.

Not only is he calculating that his stance on supporting what, ironically could be described as a neo-Fascist government, might garner enough liberal-minded Jews to put him over the top in the next election, but he is also hoping to impress his boss to the south.

One thing is becoming apparent: Canada's stature in the world is slip-sliding from one of pseudo-independence to that of overt servitude to the United States as Harper continues attempts to impress his buddy south of the 49th parallel.

Why so many so-called nationalists support a Prime Minister who demonstrates an overt lack of patriotism, befuddles the mind. Patriots like Harper speak the language of continental ism - an old American idea, one as old as their Declaration of Independence.

—Gregory Devine | Que.

Sadly Mr. Zolf's article reiterates many of the same falsehoods that were used to force the creation of Israel when deep thinkers on this difficult issue recommended an single state solution and the internationalization of Jerusalem.

The premier intellectual offense committed here is the concept of the Jewish vote. People of the Jewish faith like all others are comprised of individuals who are capable of free and independent thought as inconvenient as this is for Zionists of all kinds.

The unspoken assumption here is that people of the Jewish religion are all and should be Zionists. This simply is not true and does not reflect the teachings of Judaism. Mr. Zolf's failure to clearly identify himself as a Zionist is at best unprofessional.

Mr. Zolf does correctly identify however Mr. Harper as a Zionist largely coming from a conservative Christian agenda. This deeply disturbs me, as it should all Canadians no matter what their political stripe or religion, as this is a clear indication of Mr. Harper's inability to distinguish between reality and his religiously conditioned view.

Mr. Zolf also correctly notes that Zionists are tremendously influential and support for this group which has a proven track record of exerting influence could definitely prove helpful to Mr. Harper in gaining a majority government.

What is most unfortunate, is that CBC didn't seek to put forward an alternative viewpoint, thus reinforcing the ignorant views that have led to the blind support of the state of Israel rather than support of the people living in Palestine without regard to their religion.

posted July 24, 2006 02:00 AM              

CBC News Online | July 20, 2006

Prime Minister Stephen Harper caused a shiver of uneasiness the other day when he talked about "the initial attack" that sparked the current violence between Israel and Lebanon. It was the statement of a new boy, a neophyte in the unhappy world of the Middle East.
It was not wrong that the prime minister felt he should make some kind of statement about the violence that had then cost dozens of lives and has now cost hundreds. Politically and morally it is never a bad thing to deplore violence.

But in the Middle East there is no longer any "initial attack." The history of the past 60 years has been an unbroken continuum of attack and counter-attack, and it is impossible to say how it began, when who did what to whom.

Whether he intended it or not, Harper was taking sides. He was putting himself firmly in the camp of Israel, where the only other presence of note is George W. Bush and the United States. The rest of the world has by now taken note.

About this dispute, one point must be clear. This is not about the right of Israel to exist. That is not debatable and has not been since the United Nations decreed that Israel should exist. But this dispute is about what can be done to ensure that existence.

For half a century Canada has taken some considerable satisfaction in its credibility as an international good fellow on matters relating to the Middle East. That status flowed directly from Lester Pearson's volunteering of Canada for a peacekeeping role after the disastrous 1956 Suez invasion.

Canada's role then and since then has depended on a scrupulous neutrality in an area where neutrality was almost impossible to sustain. Neither side could point to Canada and say its neutrality had been compromised, so Canada could serve as mediator or peacekeeper. No more.

Harper got himself into trouble as he was flying towards the G8 meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, where he knew the Middle East crisis would be discussed because of Israel's attacks on the militant Hezbollah forces in Lebanon following the capture of two Israeli soldiers.

Instead of playing the role of the new boy who was there to listen and learn, Harper announced that Israel's retaliation was "measured" and justified. This was before he knew that among the victims of an Israeli air raid were eight Canadians.

"Measured" is one of those tricky words. The New York Times reported that after a week of fighting 230 Lebanese, most of them civilians, had been killed in Israeli attacks. By contrast, 25 Israelis have died, 13 of them civilians. In separate fighting in Gaza, one Israeli soldier was killed by fire from his own army and 103 Palestinians have been killed.

The Times reported: "The cold figures, combined with Israeli air attacks on civilian infrastructure like power plants, electricity transformers, airports, bridges, highways and government buildings, have led to accusations by France and by the European Union, echoed by some nongovernmental organizations, that Israel is guilty of 'disproportionate use of force'…"

Would Harper still insist that the Israeli response was measured?

The political front at home

Back in Canada, Liberal leader Bill Graham, who had to deal with Middle East questions when he served as foreign minister, used the Canada-as-middleman argument to belabour the prime minister. It was pretty predictable.

As Graham said, Canada's credibility as an arbitrator and intermediary is threatened. But Graham himself might have had more credibility if the Paul Martin government of which he was a minister had not itself moved rather far into the Israeli camp with the Americans at the United Nations.

In the case of the Martin government, the assumption at the time was that Canada was already so deeply in the bad books of the Bush administration that a small gesture at the UN to help the Americans and Israelis might be a good thing.

Harper, too, is eager to get on the right side of Bush, although he made a good start on that just by not being Paul Martin or any other kind of Liberal.

Yet another consideration is that Harper, like Bush, springs from and owes his political loyalty to the Christian Right. The Christian Right has a profound loyalty to Israel; if that is not what guides Peter MacKay as foreign minister, it certainly is what inspires Harper as prime minister and former Alliance leader Stockwell Day, now Harper's security minister.

Whatever consideration was dominant in the prime minister's thinking, he has certainly got Canada into a position that many Canadians may not cherish. Israel is clearly determined to crush Hezbollah for reasons that are understandable if not laudable. To that endeavour Harper and his friend George Bush seem to have given their stamp of approval.

The more serious problem is what comes next. The fear is that the United States is determined to attack Iran as it attacked Iraq and the first stage of that would be Israel's destruction of Iran's allies in Hezbollah.

posted July 24, 2006 02:29 AM              

Thousands across the world are calling for the end to air strikes, fighting in Lebanon
In Toronto, PM Harper is singled out

(Thousands across the world??? Give me a break there were thousands in Toronto)

Jul. 23, 2006. 07:21 AM
THULASI SRIKANTHAN
STAFF REPORTER

Hundreds of red and white Lebanese flags waved on Toronto's downtown streets as thousands of protestors called for an end to the violence in Lebanon.

To the beat of drums, the demonstrators yesterday gathered first at the Israeli consulate on Bloor St. W. before marching to the United States consulate on University Ave.

The horde chanted slogans condemning Israel for the deaths of Lebanese civilians and slammed Prime Minister Stephen Harper's comments calling Israel's response "measured."

Many also called for sanctions and a boycott of Israeli goods and businesses. The chants that rang out included "Shame, Shame, Shame," "The people united will never be defeated," "Shame on you Mr. Harper" and "Arab lives have value too."

Organizers estimated more than 10,000 people participated in the protest, but Toronto police would only say thousands of people took part. (wonder why?)

"It is important for everyone regardless of religion or ethnicity, who believes in human rights and dignity, to call for an end to Israel's brutal actions," said Nadia Daar, a spokesperson for the Coalition Against Israel Apartheid, one of the groups which organized the rally.

Other organizers included the Canadian Peace Alliance, Canadian Arab Federation, Jewish Women's Committee to End the Occupation, and the Muslim United group.

Though the crowd included Christians and Jews, the majority were from Muslim groups.

The demonstrators also waved Palestinian flags and called on Israel to respect the rights of Palestinians.

Judith Weisman, a member of the Jewish Women's Committee to End the Occupation, said: "I am Jewish and I am against Israel's actions."

Several protestors carried placards featuring photos of wounded Lebanese children and of Israeli children writing on missiles. Some protestors also hoisted pictures of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The march began in front of the Israeli consulate under rain and ended at the U.S. Consulate under semi-clear skies. Peggy Nash, a member of Parliament for Parkdale-High Park, said the violence must stop.

"We are the voices of sanity, calling for peace," Nash, a New Democrat said.

The Toronto protest was part of several global demonstrations that took place yesterday.

Thousands of demonstrators marched through London, England, and hundreds more gathered in Amsterdam and Chicago to protest the Israeli attacks in Lebanon and the refusal of the U.S. and British governments to condemn them, Reuters reports.

Police said around 7,000 people joined the London protest as it snaked from the banks of the Thames to Hyde Park, first in brilliant sunshine and then in torrential rain. Many carried red and white Lebanese flags and placards condemning "Israeli crimes in Lebanon."

"We are all Hezbollah. Boycott Israel" read one. "Axis of evil: Bush, Blair, Olmert," read another, referring to the political leaders of the United States, Britain and Israel.

In Britain, hundreds also marched in Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle and Sheffield.

In Amsterdam, some 700 people gathered near Dam Square to condemn the Israeli assault, which up to yesterday had killed an estimated 349 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, in the past 11 days.

The Dutch protest came two days after around 2,000 pro-Israeli demonstrators gathered in Amsterdam.

In the United States, several hundred demonstrators gathered in bright sunshine in downtown Chicago for a rally to protest Israeli military actions in Lebanon and Gaza.

Protestors carried banners proclaiming "The Right to Fight Or The Might to Smite", or "Not with our money, not in our name."

"I'm outraged as an American, I'm outraged as a human being at what is happening to the people of Lebanon," said Dale Lehman, a 60-year-old Jewish resident of Chicago.

In Toronto yesterday, Zahie Awad was one of the many chanting in the crowd. But unlike many others, she was also in tears as she looked into the rows of protestors. Her son, a Canadian citizen, is now in Lebanon, trying to come to Canada with her grandson.

So far, it hasn't been easy, as her grandson's papers were lost when their home was destroyed. Appeals to the Canadian government have been unheeded, she said. She hasn't been able to sleep and yesterday, contact was cut off with her son as Israel stepped up its campaign, Awad said.

Hussein Awad, her other son, said they came to the rally so other Canadians could know what was happening in the Middle East.

"We need Canada to do its role," he said, calling for this country to broker a ceasefire.

Like Awad, all Roni Chaia has been thinking about is his father and sister in Lebanon.

"They say they don't know when they are going to get hit." Chaia said, adding his family is running out of water and food.

"There is no safe place for them in Lebanon."

For Khadijeh Rakie, who also has family in Lebanon, the rally affirmed the belief she has in Canadians.