No G8 talks between Harper and Netanyahu: spokesman

[CHIMO]

Source: The Canadian Press

Prime Minister Stephen Harper did not discuss the G8 summit with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, a Harper spokesman says.

The statement by Dimitri Soudas, Mr. Harper's communications director, appears to contradict a report in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that Mr. Netanyahu phoned Mr. Harper before the summit to ask him to block G8 support for a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders.

Mr. Soudas said Sunday in an email to The Canadian Press that Mr. Harper did speak to “various leaders in the last few days, including the Israeli prime minister as well as the head of the Arab League.”



Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/no-g8-talks-between-harper-and-netanyahu-spokesman-says/article2038868/

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ATHENS—Stephen Harper has been portrayed as more than just a friend to Israel but someone who did the bidding of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at last week’s G8 summit in France.

The English language Haaretz said Netanyahu called Harper on the eve of the summit to express his concern that the summit would back the Obama position.

After any reference to 1967 borders was dropped from the final communiqué Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman called his Canadian counterpart John Baird to thank him for his help, Haaretz said.

Besides the perception that Harper is being led by the Israeli prime minister the report again raises questions about what damage could potentially have been done to Canada-U.S. relations since Harper is leading the push back on a position laid out by Obama.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/999031--was-harper-asked-to-help-israel-at-g8-summit?bn=1

[PDJane]

1. Any bets that Harper and his spokesman are lying?

Takers? No???

[bemildred]

2. Safest bet is they are all lying.

It's like a job skill.