Canada's PM calls Israeli actions "measured "

Washington Post

Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper had barely finished praising a Middle East statement he had crafted with other world leaders when news emerged of Canadian deaths in an Israeli strike in Lebanon.

The G8 statement blamed extremists for an upsurge of violence but also called on Israel to be restrained in responding to attacks and to the capture of Israeli soldiers, and expressed "deepening concern" for casualties on all sides.

"It's an important, strong and unanimous statement, and one that we're very happy with," Harper, a Conservative, told reporters just after the G8 leaders issued the communique.

Eight Canadians were killed in an Israeli raid on Sunday, Canadian Foreign Minister Peter MacKay announced shortly after the G8 statement was issued. The deaths were believed to be the first recent casualties in Lebanon from any G8 country.

Many Lebanese have emigrated to Canada and return to spend their summers in the south of Lebanon.

The deaths were especially poignant in light of the fact that Harper, who was elected in January, had qualified Israel's response as measured and as self-defense, when he was flying toward the G8 summit on Thursday.

Harper's predecessor, Liberal Paul Martin, had begun to shift Canada away from wholesale criticism of Israel. But Harper's remarks were seen by commentators as striking in their absence of criticism of Israel. Link

Israeli air strike kills 8 Canadians in Lebanon