The other day Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper addressed the Israeli Knesset. It was an outstanding speech, (the video is below) and it expressed Canada’s support for Israel emphatically.
But the speech had other ramifications as well. I think it marked Canada’s (and Australia’s, see below) accession to the leadership of the free world. We here in America and the Britain as well have dropped the ball rather badly in the last few years, and we have left others to pick up after us. To their credit they are doing an admirable job.Tom Wilson writing in Commentary magazine also noticed and said this:
Rightly, Harper spoke of Israel’s accomplishments, defending unequivocally its right to exist as a Jewish state and denouncing in no uncertain terms the new anti-Semitism that masquerades as anti-Zionism–or as Harper put it, “the old hatred has been translated into more sophisticated language for use in polite society. People who would never say they hate and blame the Jews for their own failings or the problems of the world, instead declare their hatred of Israel and blame the only Jewish state for the problems of the Middle East.”
Ironically, when Prime Minister Harper came to rebutting the apartheid charge leveled against Israel, two of the Arab Knesset members present began to loudly interrupt him, before then promptly storming out–their very position in the Knesset, of course, serving to refute the accusation that they apparently felt so strongly about insisting upon. This sense of obligation to speak out against such lies and bigotry clearly stems from the prime minister’s wider worldview.
Harper declared unapologetically that we live in a world where “moral relativism runs rampant” and that “in the garden of such moral relativism, the seeds of much more sinister notions can be easily planted.” For, as Harper noted, “Those who, often begin by hating the Jews…history shows us, end up hating anyone who is not them.”
That’s important, and that’s the kind of leadership that world has come to expect from America, and yes from Britain. Neither country is providing it any longer, but friends of ours, and more importantly friends of freedom are. Here’s PM Harper
Similarly, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has also proven to be unswerving in her support. Like Canada, and in truth like Britain and the US used to be, their support is not absolute, it is won by the love of freedom, and playing by the rules. Again from Tom Wilson
Bishop stated that she thought the international community should refrain from calling settlements illegal, remarking, “I would like to see which international law has declared them illegal,” and arguing, “I don’t think it’s helpful to prejudge the settlement issue if you’re trying to get a negotiated solution. And by deeming the activity as a war crime, it’s unlikely to engender a negotiated solution.”
Foreign Minister Bishop has likewise been unwavering in her opposition to boycotts, seeing to it that funding from the Australian government does not reach organizations calling for them. Of the BDS movement Bishop exclaimed, “It’s anti-Semitic. It identifies Israel out of all other nations as being worthy of a boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign? Hypocritical beyond belief.”
Bishop stands out as an almost lone voice on a number of these issues, yet in doing so she echoes the Canadian prime minister’s attitude when he stated that his country will “stand for what is principled and just, regardless of whether it is convenient or popular.”
Look at that, real principles, just like we used to have.
You know, freedom in the world has been linked to the English-speaking people ever since the enlightenment, and the more things change, the more they stay the same. The thing is, Canada and Australia both know exactly what they are doing, they have been in the trenches, receiving far less of the glory than they deserve, for a full hundred years with us. And yet, they still, have the guts to lead the eternal battle. I hope we have the sense to support them
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