John Baird tells PA to drop unilateral statehood bid

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and Finance Minister Jim Flaherty are in Israel this week.

And they've been proclaiming Canada's everlasting friendship and support for Israel. Not surprising considering Canada's enhanced position vis-a-vis the Jewish state since the Stephen Harper government came to power.




But Baird also just told Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to let go of the idea of declaring a unilateral state without negotiating with Israel.

According to a report in the Israel media, Baird had the following to say to Abbas and his PA cohort on Monday:

On Monday, the duo met with PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and other senior officials in Ramallah. During the meeting Baird expressed Canada's position that the unilateral PA statehood bid at the UN was “profoundly wrong.”

Baird also backed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's position, telling PA officials it was time to return to bilateral face-to-face negotiations with Israel, without any preconditions.

In related news, Canada also just increased economic sanctions on Iran. Read the full story on The CJN website here.

Sexual abuse of female journalists continues in Egypt

In February it was CBS reporter Lara Logan. Yesterday it was U.S. based Egyptian journalist Mona Eltahawy.

Both have now become symbols of a long-lasting, much larger problem with women's rights in the Muslim Middle East: the fact that the gender is viewed as inferior and treated as such.

Ongoing reports of brutality against women and girls – a well-known example being a case of the Taliban throwing acid into girls faces as they "dared" go to school for an education – the despicable practice of honour killings, and a general attitude of disdain for female rights are sadly all too prevalent across the region, with the notable exception being Israel.

Lara Logan

As you might recall, last February, while covering the uprising by Egyptians against their now-ousted former President Hosni Mubarak, Logan and her crew were assaulted and eventually separated from one another by a mob in Tahrir Square. And as Logan herself later revealed, during that time, she was sexually molested and violated by hundreds of men for nearly 25 minutes who shouted at her all the while, and incited each other by calling her a Jew and an Israeli spy while "raping me with their hands," she said in a CBS interview months later.

Meanwhile, yesterday Eltahawy – who writes for both The Toronto Star and The Jerusalem Post – was arrested by Egyptian security forces while covering more unrest at the square. During her detention she also claims to have been sexually assaulted by her captors.

Mona Eltahawy

In tweets she sent after her release – she spent 12 hours under the authority of Egypt's Interior Ministry – she wrote that she was sexually and physically assaulted by a half dozen men on the security force. Eltahawy also noted that her arms were now in casts and her hand severely injured. Here are some of her tweets from the last 24 hours:

"5 or 6 surrounded me, groped and prodded my breasts, grabbed my genital area and I lost count how many hands tried to get into my trousers."

 "The past 12 hrs were painful and surreal but I know I got off much much easier than so many other Egyptians."

So what did Eltahawy, Logan and so many other women in Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East do? Simple, they were born girls.

What do you think?

Tikkun Olam תיקון עולם‎ and Technion

The accomplishments of Technion graduates have been recognized largely only within the industries they serve. Now with its "Spotlight on Success" The Canadian Technion Society, through its website is providing these graduates public exposure on their accomplishments.

The Canadian International Auto Show, the country's largest showcase of new and concept model vehicles, held annually at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and the SkyDome opens its doors for its 2011 event tomorrow. It seems fitting then, to make mention the work of Toronto's Gil Hadar. 

The Technion grad is making strides to advance Canada's greater adoption of "Mild Hybrid", "Hybrid", and "Electric Cars", that might soon utilize his "IEP" (Integrated Electric Pump), as well as the work being done by the company Better Place in Israel. Technion alumnus Shai Agassi is the founder and chief executive of Better Place, the leading electric vehicle services provider. Agassi and his company have been focused on one of this century's biggest challenges: moving the world from oil-based to sustainable transportation. The result of the work completed by Better Place so far is an infrastructure and intelligent network, delivering a range of services to drivers, enabling widespread adoption of electric vehicles, and optimizing energy use.

A glimpse into their accomplishments can be seen in the video below.



The Shmooze is proudly helping to follow the accomplishments being made by Technion graduates. You too can learn more on all that The Technion is offering to world-wide scientific exploration.

Join the Canadian Technion Society at their event being held March 31st with the great Canadian philanthropist and entrepreneur, Seymour Schulich.

Tickets for the event can be obtained today by calling 416 789 4545.