(YWN, Jpost)..B’nai Brith Canada has launched a national campaign to welcome the visit to Canada of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
“We decided to launch this campaign in order to welcome the Israeli Prime Minister to Canada and to commend the Harper Government for its principled and determined leadership of the Middle East file,” said Frank Dimant, B’nai Brith Canada’s Executive Vice President. “Canada and Israel are two democratic allies which in addition to standing together against the forces of Radical Islam, enjoy independent judiciaries, equality for all their citizens, a free press, and open elections.
“In light of all of the pressure being applied by the Obama Administration on PM Netanyahu to make concessions to the divided and uncompromising Palestinian factions, we felt it was crucial to include in our media campaign support for the position of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu that Jerusalem – the historic, political and spiritual capital of the Jewish people – remain the eternal and undivided capital of the Jewish State of Israel. The Israeli Prime Minister will be heading to a meeting with President Obama right after his trip to Canada, so it is important that he understands that his position for a united Jerusalem is supported by Jews around the world.”
Residents of Toronto will get a chance to show their love for Israel on Sunday, when 15,000 people are expected to join the annual, daylong UJA Walk with Israel.
The walk, whose proceeds will go toward projects initiated by the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto to help Ethiopian immigrants in Bat Yam, is going to have an added attraction this year: Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who will speak to the walkers before they head off on their routes on Sunday morning.
“The timing is perfect,” said Amir Gissin, Israel’s consul-general in Toronto, speaking about Netanyahu’s visit to Canada.
“Canada is today a very close friend of Israel, with both a friendly government and opposition. We just had the premier of Ontario, Dalton McGuinty, in Israel,” Gissin said.
Netanyahu, who arrived in Toronto on Friday with his wife, Sara, was expected to meet privately with members of the Jewish community, as well as with selected members of the media during his stay in the city.
“Looking at the list of the editors, broadcasters and writers he’s meeting with, you see quite an impressive list and one that reflects the interest Canada has in Israel,” Gissin said.
Netanyahu, making the first visit by an Israeli prime minister to Canada since 1994, is scheduled to fly to Ottawa after launching the Walk on Sunday, to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.