by Associated Press, News Agencies and Israel Hayom Staff
Toronto lawyer Vivian Bercovici, who studied in Israel in the 1980s, is the first non-diplomat sent to Israel by Harper's government and a known detractor of the Palestinian leadership • "Israel has no greater friend in the world than Canada," she says.
Vivian Bercovici is the
first non-diplomat sent to Israel by Harper’s Government since Tories
came to power in 2006
|
Photo credit: Canadian Foreign Affairs Ministry  |
A Toronto lawyer who has written freelance columns about the Middle East is Canada's new ambassador to Israel.
The announcement of Vivian Bercovici comes
ahead of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's trip to Israel and the Middle
East later this month.
In her past writing, Bercovici has praised
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and taken a hard line against Hamas
and the Palestinian leadership.
Bercovici, who is the first non-diplomat sent
to Israel by Harper's Tories since they won power in 2006, has served on
the boards of Radio-Canada and the Canadian Journalism Foundation.
Her law career has spanned two decades and has
included specializations in aboriginal affairs, regulatory matters and
media issues.
Her only past government experience appears to
be a two-year stint in the 1990s as a senior policy adviser in
Ontario's financial ministry.
Bercovici's nomination has met wide criticism,
mostly over the fact that she has little diplomatic experience, but
Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird said Wednesday that it was not
unusual, adding that previous Liberal and Conservative governments have
also, at times, named senior political aides or MPs for ambassadorships.
"I think it won't be a huge shock to anyone
that Canada is a strong supporter of the State of Israel," said Baird in
announcing the appointment.
"We have been a strong supporter of the only
liberal democracy in the region. I would say the state of our
relationship with the Arab world is strong, getting stronger every day.
We have a good relationship with the Palestinian Authority."
Baird went on to point out Bercovici will be
the representative to Israel exclusively and not the PA. Speaking later
on CBC News Network's "Power & Politics," Baird dismissed
speculations suggesting that the fact that Bercovici is Jewish had
influenced the government's decision on her nomination.
"Before we offered her the position I, in
fact, personally did not know her religious background, that's not how
our government runs things," Baird said. "We look for people who are
talented and capable and can do the job."
Baird said Bercovici, who studied in Israel in
the early 1980s, will bring a "unique skill set" to her new post: "She
is being appointed as our ambassador to Israel, not Ramallah. She has
been critical of the PA, and critical of the Israeli government on
occasion. We have a lot of confidence that she will be able to do a good
job… We certainly can't be hostage to past comments."
Bercovici, who appeared alongside Baird, read
from prepared notes as she said Israel "has no greater friend in the
world than Canada.
"I know that this government's principled
stance on various fronts is warmly welcomed and appreciated by both the
Israeli government and the Israeli people.
"Canada supports Israel's right to exist in
peace and security. Canada stands firm in the international fight
against anti-Semitism, including raising the awareness of the
Holocaust," she said.
"Canada recognizes the importance of building
inclusive and stable societies underpinned by democracy, freedom, human
rights, and the rule of law."
In one of her Toronto Star columns in 2013
Bercovici leveled harsh criticism at the PA, accusing Ramallah of having
no real interest in striking peace with Israel.
"Hamas, the PA and just about every government
in the Middle East make no secret of their collective ideological
commitment to the total destruction of the State of Israel, which they
regard as a blasphemous blight on the Arab and Muslim worlds," she
wrote.
"So in the end, it really doesn't matter to them who
wins and leads in Israel," she wrote. "There is no willing negotiator on
the Palestinian side."
Associated Press, News Agencies and Israel Hayom Staff
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=14643
Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.
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