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OTTAWA - Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon has lightly rebuked Israel's decision to expand settlements in disputed territory, a rare criticism of the Jewish state by the Conservative government.
Israel's decision to build 1,600 new apartments in a Jewish neighbourhood in east Jerusalem is "an obstacle to the prospects for peace" in the region, Cannon said Thursday.
But his language paled in comparison to the sharp tone taken by the Obama administration earlier this week, after U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden arrived in the region only to face a surprise announcement of the new settlement project.
Caught off guard, Biden sharply condemned the new settlement plan "immediately and unequivocally," saying it could "inflame" the situation. The Israeli announcement cast a pall over his visit, which was intended to help revive a stalled Middle East peace process.
Canada's criticism was far more muted.
Cannon issued a statement expressing "regret" over the announcement.
"Consistent with the positions of the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and other key partners, the Canadian government sees the construction of permanent settlements in East Jerusalem as an obstacle to the prospects for peace," Cannon said.
"Canada believes that all parties should abide by their international commitments. This announcement does not advance the cause of peace in the region."
The Conservatives have faced criticism in the past from Canadian Arab and Muslim groups for tilting Canada's traditional "honest broker" Middle East policy too much towards Israel.
While Cannon's comments broke with the Harper government's pattern of steadfast support of Israel, one of Canada's most vocal Jewish human rights groups said it was not deeply troubled by the thrust of the minister's remarks.
Frank Dimant, executive vice president of B'Nai Brith Canada, said it was "regrettable" that Cannon objected to Israel's right to build the settlement, but said his statement was "very mild" compared with Biden's.
"The building taking place within its own capital city is not a violation of any international commitment."
Dimant said he believed the Harper government was motivated to make the statement in order "to appease" the United States.
"I think the Americans may be looking for more counties to voice displeasure with Israel and therefore apply additional pressure to Israel to make even more concessions because, up to now, Obama's policy has been a failure in the Middle East," Dimant said.
"Therefore, I think they probably called on Canada, which is seen as a very strong, fair supporter of Israel, to join in this condemnation."
Dimant said none of the criticism of Israel would stop the construction of the new dwellings.
Cannon also spoke out about Israeli settlements last year, branding them as illegal, after a visit to Ottawa by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
The government's Middle East policy has faced criticism since 2006, when Prime Minister Stephen Harper wholeheartedly supported Israel's show of force in Lebanon during that summer's war against Hezbollah.
More recently, the Conservatives faced criticism for cutting funding to the Christian aid organization, KARIOS, for apparently contradicting its Middle East policy.
In December, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney told a conference in Jerusalem that KAIROS's funding was cut as part of a government effort to crack down on anti-Semitism. He accused the group of having played "a leadership role" in the campaign for a boycott of Israel.
Biden ended his visit to Israel on Thursday with an upbeat speech at an Israeli university.
The vice president highlighted the close U.S.-Israeli ties, but he reiterated his condemnation of the planned settlement.
"Quite frankly, folks, sometimes only a friend can deliver the hardest truth," Biden told his audience.
