PM resists pressure to call for Mideast ceasefire

Protesters rallying outside the Tory caucus meeting in Ontario Friday accused Prime Minister Stephen Harper of toeing the American line by supporting Israel in the Middle East conflict.

Dozens of demonstrators, mostly from Montreal, demanded Harper call for an immediate ceasefire to the hostilities between Israel and Lebanon.

"Harper stop fighting, come out and face the justice," chanted the protesters as they waved Lebanese flags and placards at passing motorists in Cornwall, Ont.

"I'm astounded at the injustice of Harper's position in terms of unconditionally supporting Israel when at this point in time the civilian death count is over 900," protester Jordan Topp, who has lived in Lebanon, told reporters.

"People have been killed across the country in Lebanon, and it's not what he's called a `measured' response."

The Prime Minister is standing firm.

"Are they suggesting Israel unilaterally stop defending itself?" Harper said in an interview to appear on CTV's Question Period on Sunday.

Opposition members have accused Harper of abandoning Canada's role as an honest, neutral broker.

"What happened to Canada's unique role in the world community?" NDP Leader Jack Layton asked CTV News. "Now we just seem to be following along with (U.S. President George Bush) and his policies."

The Prime Minister rejected NDP demands to recall Parliament.
"What is neutrality here?" Harper asked. "Are we neutral with regard to Hezbollah? Are we neutral on a terrorist group? I don't think the Opposition wants to say that."

Harper says Israel is fighting the same brand of terrorism faced by Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan and even on Canadian soil.

It's a battle "that we're frankly fighting in this country," Harper said, "with the arrests in Toronto."
The rising death toll in Afghanistan has renewed demands to withdraw before more Canadian soldiers are killed.
"This search and combat mission is not working," said Alexa McDonough, NDP MP for Halifax. "It should absolutely not be extended."

But there will be no early exit from Afghanistan, the prime minister said.

"The people who are taking the risks here are prepared to stick that through," said Harper. "If they are prepared to stick that through, I certainly am going to stick with it."
Conservative support is sliding, particularly in Quebec. Voters appear to be uneasy with the Afghan mission and Canada's Middle-East policy, but Harper says he won't be thrown off course by opinion polls.

So far, the Conservative government has supported a ceasefire in Lebanon only as long as certain conditions are met, such as a halt to attacks by both Hezbollah and the Israeli army.
Harper stuck to that stance when he spoke to reporters outside the caucus meeting on Friday.

"I think the position we have is exactly the position of Canadians," Harper told the Cornwall, Ont. press conference.

"Canadians want to see peace and stability in the Middle East, Canadians are not neutral on terrorism and terrorist groups. The government of Canada is and will be committed to humanitarian efforts in the region."
Canada and diplomacy

Palestinian-Canadian Samah Sabawi said she was "very disturbed" by Canada's position, in particular that of Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay.

"He seemed to justify Israel's action in Lebanon and we would like to have a chance to set the record straight on some issues that he seemed to be misguided on," Sabawi told CTV Newsnet Friday.

"It's very important for Canada to go back to diplomacy. It's unbelievable that our government thinks Israel's actions are justifed. These are war crimes that Israel is conducting and Canada needs to stand up and say this is not acceptable."

Liberal critic for foreign affairs Keith Martin said the situation in Lebanon was "catastrophic."
Appearing on CTV Newsnet Friday, Martin said "humanitarian organizations can't get in and help people in southern Lebanon unless the hostilities stop now.

"Unfortunately the Conservative government has not called for a ceasefire, is not putting their back behind this, and this will not enable them to get this aid on the ground."