Referring to the human crisis in Lebanon, Ignatieff writes:
"The Harper government's response has been inadequate. It has failed to address the damage that the conflict is doing to relations between communities in Canada; it has failed to grasp just how serious the situation could become; and it has failed to stake out the positive role that Canada could play in defusing the crisis.
"It's time for Canada to do its part in stopping this march to the abyss.
"It should call for an immediate ceasefire, authorized by the United Nations Security Council. It should line up with the Europeans and moderate Arab states issuing the same call. Under such a ceasefire deal, Israeli forces would withdraw, aerial bombardment would cease, and Hezbollah would stop rocket attacks and incursions into Israeli territory. Once a ceasefire has taken hold, Canada should propose the deployment of an international naval, air and land force to prevent the movement of missiles and other military technology into Lebanon. These weapons come by land through Syria and by sea through the Mediterranean. Such a force should be deployed at all Lebanese ports and land borders. An additional naval force should patrol Lebanese waters. The force should be authorized by the Security Council to seize any weapons destined for Hezbollah or any non-state actor in the region."
It's the strong position I believe Canadians want to hear and want their government to take (polls are showing that only 32% support the Harper government's Lebanese stance) and one, I suspect, the grand-father of UN peacekeeping and former Liberal Prime Minister Lester Pearson would endorse. Strong, international action; Canada acting in concert with Europe and the UN - well just about everyone except the USA."Hezbollah's strategy is to lure Israel into an escalation of violence that will radicalize the Arab world and cause Israel to lose its remaining international support. The terrible tragedy in Qana, which claimed more than 50 lives, is thus a victory for Hezbollah. But that is not all. Hezbollah then hopes to draw Israel into a wider conflict that would result in its ultimate destruction. In this terrible struggle, Israel cannot win, Hezbollah cannot lose and Lebanon perishes. Israel must not play Hezbollah's game. It must defend itself, but to persist in its military campaign would only give Hezbollah what it wants: continuing carnage in Lebanon and weakening world support for Israel" Ignatieff states.
It may very well be that Israel needs the international community to offer it a way out at this point. The new Israeli government and prime minister seem to have got in over their heads following the relatively minor matter of the kidnapping of three soldiers. They wanted to show they were as strong and decisive and any previous leaders of Israel but they have been taken by surprise as they discovered Hezbollah is not going to be easily defeated.
As in any set of negotiations, a mediator needs to show each side how they can claim victory. Canada and the supporting nations of the UN need to convince Israel to accept a multinational force to secure its northern frontier, thus sinning its security. Lebanon and Hezbollah win when the Israeli incursions end.
