Canuck PM says opponents are 'anti-israel'

[Grimmlok]

Most of the candidates vying for the leadership of the Liberal party are anti-Israel, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said today as controversy swirled over comments by front-runner Michael Ignatieff.

Ignatieff's statement that Israel had perpetrated a war crime with its attack on Lebanon typified that sentiment, Harper said.

"This is consistent with the anti-Israeli position that has been taken by virtually all of the candidates for the Liberal leadership," he said.

"I don't think it's helpful or useful."

On Wednesday, Ignatieff's Toronto campaign co-chair, MP Susan Kadis, publicly renounced her support for him over the view that Israel's bombardment of the Lebanese city of Qana was a war crime.

Ignatieff, who calls himself a "lifelong friend of Israel," had made the remark on Sunday during an appearance on a French-language television program.

"What happened in Qana was a war crime," Ignatieff told Radio-Canada.

"I should have said that. That's clear."

Speaking at a law-and-order announcement, Harper called the war-crime accusation a "serious charge."

The prime minister also made it clear he didn't share the view.

At least two Liberal leadership candidates immediately denounced Harper's view that the Liberals are anti-Israel as polarizing the country.

Bob Rae, a strong contender for the party's top prize, called Harper's "shameful" comments a "classically thoughtless, deeply divisive thing" to say.

"It's the politics of the big smear," said Rae.

"I don't know why he would say such a thing."

Fellow candidate Stephane Dion said Harper's comments were not very "prime ministerial."

Nevertheless, Dion called on Ignatieff to substantiate his accusation by providing evidence for his views.

"If he has no information of this kind, he should withdraw," Dion said after a speech to the Economic Club of Toronto.

"He should not stay where he is now. It's not an acceptable situation."

In a statement today, B'nai Brith Canada called for the Liberal party to disassociate itself from Ignatieff's remarks.

It also called on other leadership candidates to denounce publicly Ignatieff's statement.

"We have written to all Liberal leadership contenders asking them to place truth above politics and to come forward to denounce Ignatieff's remarks," said Frank Dimant, B'nai Brith Canada's executive vice president.

"The callous playing of the Middle East card in order to secure votes has only succeeded in stirring up tensions here at home."

Earlier in the leadership campaign, Toronto MP Jim Karygiannis resigned as Joe Volpe's manager for Volpe's unwavering defence of Israel.

Another candidate, Gerard Kennedy was forced to distance himself after one of his supporters accused Israel of engaging in "state terrorism."

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...2154&t=TS_Home

First of all, the B'Nai Brith can suck a fuck. I've heard of some of the hideous things they do to indoctrinate youth into the whole "Israel is forever blameless for what it does!" bullshit from Jews who used to belong to it. Also this:

"The callous playing of the Middle East card in order to secure votes has only succeeded in stirring up tensions here at home."

...Is fucking rich from an organization that lobbies the fuck out of the government.. again, they need to go to hell.

Secondly, anybody who 'unwaveringly' supports ANYTHING instead of being objective is a fucking retard and would be better off at the bottom of a lake.

Thirdly, our Prime Minuster is pulling another page out of the 'Act like a total asshole" book of George Bush.

Guess what, Harper: You don't enjoy the same stupid zeal of support Israel enjoys in the US. We actually consider ALL sides of an issue, not just ONE like you'd have us all doing.

Fucking retard. The sooner he's gone the better.

[Sojiita]

[Grimmlok]

Martin was no better, we voted HIM out to punish the liberals for being douches.

So we voted the neocon in, who's practically powerless because we made him PM with a minority gov. That's why he's so noisy