Why does every town in Israel have a “Balfour” street?

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Balfour street in Jerusalem is just one of dozens in Israel

Most Canadians think that the important things of World War I happened in Europe. That is natural, of course, because our terrible losses were in the fields of Flanders.

But World War I was a world war, and it had consequences around the globe. It casts a particularly long shadow in the Middle East, where colonial powers drew lines, created countries and installed rulers.

British Cabinet minister Lord Balfour’s 1917 decision to support the creation of a “Jewish State” in Palestine, known as the “Balfour Declaration”  has caused turmoil in the region for a hundred years.

The Rideau Institute invited me to do an opinion piece on how WWI played a role in shaping the Israel/Palestine conflict. See my “guest blog” here. History buffs might be interested.

United Church human rights activists review progress, plan for the future

Unsettling-goods

After its General Council meeting in 2012, the United Church of Canada launched a campaign against the illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Two years later a group of UCC activists came together to review progress and plan for the future

At its annual meeting held near Hamilton on September 12-14, a group of 42 United Church activists from across Canada decided to continue and strengthen their push to defend the human rights of Palestinians. I was an outside observer. Here are some of my observations on their very successful and productive meeting.

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Baird received as hero by right wing US radio host

mark Levin

Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird was a smash hit a few weeks ago on the radio program of conservative US commentator Mark Levin, when he took his customary aggressive stand against Hamas and the Palestinians. The Harper/Baird position plays very well in the USA. Ironically, it seems to serve both the Obama administration and his right wing opponents. (more…)