Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper suggested that his country recent failure to secure a seat on the UN Security Council can be blamed on the government's support for Israel in the face of growing anti-Israeli sentiment.
"Whether it is at the United Nation or any other international forum, the easy thing to do is simply to just get along and go along with this anti-Israeli rhetoric," Harper told a two-day inter-parliamentary conference on combating anti-Semitism that is being held in the framework of Holocaust Education Week.
Portugal won the coveted seat.
Harper said that while Israel is receptive to fair criticism, Canada is obligated to stand up for its ally when it comes under attack from others.
"Not just because it is the right thing to do, but because history shows us, and the ideology of the anti-Israel mob tell us all too well, that those who threaten the existence of the Jewish people are in the longer term a threat to all of us."
The Prime Minister acknowledged that his position is not popular with all governments and organizations, including members of the United Nations and the Francophonie.
"There are, after all, a lot more votes in being anti-Israeli than in taking a stand. But as long as I am Prime Minister, whether it is at the United Nations, the Francophonie or anywhere else, Canada will take that stand, whatever the cost."
"What this conference is actually about isn't anti-Semitism," Ralph said. "What it's about is attacking and limiting dissent and criticism on expressing criticisms of Israel. And the thing is that when Harper says today that Israel is a country under attack, Israel is being attacked for its violations of human rights."
The Prime Minister warned that if evil is left unchecked there will most assuredly be another Holocaust, citing what he called growing anti-Semitism around the world."Let us not forget that even now, there are those who choose evil, and would launch another Holocaust if left unchecked," Harper said.
He said Jews increasingly are subjected to vandalism, threats, slurs and "just plain, old-fashioned lies."
Harper also raised concerns about the anti-Israeli movement even at universities.
Harper said while steps have been taken at home to combat anti-Semitism, the fight must taken offshore. "We must be relentless in exposing this anti-Semitism for what it is," he said.