Prime Minister Stephen Harper issues statement supporting Israel's right to defend itself

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      The Israeli air force has dropped pamphlets from the sky on northern Gaza warning residents to flee their homes.

      This comes after a week of hostilities triggered by rocket fire from Gaza into Israel. Israeli has responded with air strikes, as well as a naval commando raid in northern Gaza.

      This was reportedly to disable a rocket-launching site. According to a CBC report, there have been 166 Palestinian deaths.

      Meanwhile, Israel has tanks and ground forces at the border with Gaza, preparing for a possible attack.

      This morning, Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued the following statement about the situation:

      "The indiscriminate rocket attacks from Gaza on Israel are terrorist acts, for which there is no justification. It is evident that Hamas is deliberately using human shields to further terror in the region.

      "Failure by the international community to condemn these reprehensible actions would encourage these terrorists to continue their appalling actions. Canada calls on its allies and partners to recognize that these terrorist acts are unacceptable and that solidarity with Israel is the best way of stopping the conflict.

      "Canada is unequivocally behind Israel. We support its right to defend itself, by itself, against these terror attacks, and urge Hamas to immediately cease their indiscriminate attacks on innocent Israeli civilians.

      "Canada reiterates its call for the Palestinian government to disarm Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups operating in Gaza, including the Iranian proxy, Palestinian Islamic Jihad."

      Meanwhile, a professor of science, techology, and national-security policy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Theodore Postol, has told National Public Radio that the artillery coming from Gaza are 122-millimetre rockets.

      Postol said that these weapons resemble a "four-and-a-half-inch diameter pipe" and might be from 10 to 20 feet in length.

      "A typical explosive is 20 to 30 pounds, which is quite enough to kill you if it lands near you," Postol told NPR. "But, you know, if you take shelter it's unlikely to cause your house to collapse, and Israelis are set up to take shelter."

      Comments

      36 Comments

      Kiskatinawkid

      Jul 13, 2014 at 9:46am

      More unintelligent waste from the sewer hole of our illustrious "slime minister"!

      Former Proud Canadian

      Jul 13, 2014 at 10:13am

      How disgraceful and ignorant of our leader to call a democratically elected organization "terrorist" and to support the killing of innocent people! Too embarrassed to call myself Canadian.

      Hazlit

      Jul 13, 2014 at 10:14am

      To the Prince of Darkness: was that statement really necessary? Aren't we already pro-Israel enough?

      Right to Defend

      Jul 13, 2014 at 10:43am

      Since Israel has been stealing Palestinian homes for many decades and killing those who are troublesome enough to oppose the theft, I would think that Prime Minister Harper should issue a statement defending the right of Palestinians to defend themselves and their homes.

      Canuck

      Jul 13, 2014 at 12:32pm

      Stephen Harper once again showing that he will always stand for what's right. Just because an organization is "democratically elected, doesn't mean its not a terrorist organization! Shooting rockets and suice bombings does! Perhaps the fact that a terrorist organization was " democratically" elected reflects on the nature of the population that voted for it?

      Dr. Jack

      Jul 13, 2014 at 1:34pm

      Hitler was "democratically elected"!!!!!

      So was Mao, Assad, Saddam Hussein, Brezhnev, Ceausescu, Pol Pot!!

      To name but a few!!

      Canada and Isreal...

      Jul 13, 2014 at 3:48pm

      No end and no beginning! ;)

      Can of worms

      Jul 13, 2014 at 3:53pm

      Wonder what his statement will be if First Nations begin to defend themselves on traditional land?

      kerry

      Jul 13, 2014 at 4:38pm

      An Israeli woman ripped up her Israeli passport because she is so ashamed of what Israel is doing.... I would do the same with my Canadian passport because of Harper's statement except that, rather than believing all Canadians are "unequivocally" on the side of Israel (as SH thinks), I believe he speaks for an obtuse, deluded minority.

      King

      Jul 13, 2014 at 6:17pm

      Where are the human rights organizations? Are they sleeping? UN should start a (I DON"T THINK SO ) because UN means US??? independent war crime against ISRAEL. May be against US too? ALL bullshit. AMERICA Ruin all world???? Remember you are with us or against us. If you are against them, They (US) find some thing to put you in trouble. As a Canadian, I was SO unliky to see a US PUPPET like Stephen HARPER