{"id":890,"date":"2014-01-22T23:09:09","date_gmt":"2014-01-22T23:09:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thejerusalemgiftshop.com\/israelnews\/?p=890"},"modified":"2015-01-28T22:25:27","modified_gmt":"2015-01-28T22:25:27","slug":"reflections-on-israeli-life-the-day-of-the-prime-ministers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thejerusalemgiftshop.com\/israelnews\/reflections-on-israeli-life-the-day-of-the-prime-ministers\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflections on Israeli Life: The Day of the Prime Ministers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Canadadian PM Stephen Harper. Photo by Remy Steinegger<\/p><\/div>\n

by Esther Korson,<\/p>\n

Well, I had something completely different planned for today, but once again the news came with imperatives to SHARE.\u00a0 Yesterday could be called \u201cThe Day of the Prime Ministers\u201d. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper\u2019s public comments in the six years that he has been in office are consistently more pro-Israel than any other foreign leaders have ever been, and he is considered to be the best friend that Israel has in the world.\u00a0 So when he arrived in Israel yesterday for his first official visit, it was definitely a newsworthy event!<\/strong><\/p>\n

As the IBA English TV news reported, \u201cThe Toronto Sun newspaper called it a \u2018hero\u2019s welcome\u2019 and the Toronto Star headlined \u2018A Welcome Befitting a Rock Star\u2019. After escorting his Canadian counterpart down the red carpet during an inspection of the honour guard, Prime Minister Netanyahu greeted Harper with superlatives normally reserved for one\u2019s best friend. Netanyahu made clear how much he appreciated the steadfast backing Israel has received from Canada on a wide spectrum of issues, ranging from anti-Semitism to the peace process to the Iranian nuclear threat. \u2018And when it comes to Iran\u2019s reported calls for Israel\u2019s annihilation and its unrelenting development of nuclear weapons, you and Canada have stood unflinchingly on the right side of history,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n

\u2018You have shown great moral leadership,\u2019 Netanyahu continued. \u2018When it comes to anti-Semitism you stood up unabashedly at the side of Israel and the entire Jewish people\u2026\u2019\u201d
\nUpon arriving in Jerusalem, Harper went immediately to the Mt. of Olives for a panoramic view of the city. It helped him to realize how tiny and minute the country is and how vulnerable it is. (From my house in Jerusalem, on a clear day I can look across the Jordan Valley to see the mountains of Moab.\u00a0 Translated, that means that I can see the country of Jordan from my living room window! And from a different point on the western side of the city, you can see the sun shining on the Mediterranean.\u00a0 From Jerusalem, Israel is small enough to see across it! As Netanyahu pointed out, there is actually a street in Toronto that is longer than the entire length of Israel!)<\/p>\n

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