PM's Statement on Middle East Reckless

Ottawa, December 21, 2006 – The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR) considers Prime Minister Stephen Harper's latest statement in reference to the conflict on the Middle East inaccurate, reckless and detrimental to Canadian interests.

His assertion that Canada has never played a role as an honest broker in the Israeli-Arab conflict undermines the work of hundreds of public servants and diplomats who have dedicated their careers to finding a peaceful and lasting solution for all parties involved.

“The Prime Minister should be reminded that at the core of the conflict and any just solution lies the question of the right of return for Palestinian refugees. As Gavel Holder of the Refugee Working Group since 1992, Canada has played an important role by addressing both the humanitarian and core political dimensions of the refugee issue,” explained NCCAR Vice-President Bahija Réghaï.

Canada was asked to assume the chairmanship of this important multilateral process in part due to our position with respect to the conflict and the refugee question.  This perception has now changed.

NCCAR finds troubling the Prime Minister's characterisation of Hamas and Hezbollah as “genocidal” while failing to condemn the hundreds of deaths of Palestinian and Lebanese civilians caused in recent months by the Israeli military.

“By using double standards and failing to hold all sides to the same expectations, Mr. Harper shuns international law and ignores our legal and moral responsibilities. This has damaged our reputation as a responsible state, and ends all pretence of Canada being an “honest broker” in the region,” added Ms. Réghaï.

NCCAR believes that Canada's foreign policy decisions and statements should be based on international law, multilateralism and respect for human rights. Canada should be seeking to dialogue with all parties concerned to ensure a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict.