Canadian deaths in Lebanon 'tragic' says PM

Canada.com

Thousands of stranded Canadians should be able to start getting out of war-torn Lebanon by mid-week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Monday.

Speaking as the Group of Eight summit wound up, Harper also offered his condolences to the families of seven Canadians killed in an Israeli bombing raid in Lebanon, but said he was not going to be critical of Israel for defending itself.

Harper began his closing news conference with a reference to Sunday's "tragic deaths of Canadians in Lebanon."

"I want to offer my condolences to their families," the prime minister said.

The seven, from Montreal, had been visiting their families for the summer and were among dozens of civilians killed in Israeli air strikes over the last week.

Israel began bombarding Lebanon after Hezbollah guerrillas crossed into Lebanon and captured two Israeli soldiers. It wants to swap the soldiers for Hezbollah members held by Israel.

Harper said it was those kidnappings that started the conflict and that once a war starts escalation is "inevitable." Read more