Palestinians hurl eggs, shoes at Baird’s car
RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territory — Dozens of Palestinian protesters hurled eggs and shoes at the convoy of the visiting Canadian foreign affairs minister Sunday in a show of defiance toward Canada’s perceived pro-Israel stance.
John Baird was visiting Ramallah to meet Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki when demonstrators pelted his convoy.
Baird shrugged off the incident. “I was in Mike Harris’s cabinet for four years. I got a lot worse,” Bard told reporters afterward, referring to Harris’s Progressive Conservative government in Ontario that was often targeted for its cost cutting.
The Palestinian protesters also held signs reading: “Baird, you are not welcome in Palestine” and “Baird, Jerusalem is our capital.”
Media reports say Baird was not hit.
“We take a strong position supporting the only liberal and democratic state in the region,” Baird said. “We take the view that a peace process, progress is best made at the negotiating table and not through unilateral actions on the other side. We’re proud of that position, we believe it’s the best one and don’t apologize for it.”
Activists from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party earlier had called for a boycott of Baird because of Canada’s Middle East policies.
“This person backs up the Zionist movement,” protester Abdullah AbuRahmeh said. “This person diminishes the rights of our people, takes part and backs up building of settlements. We tell him that he’s not welcome.”
Baird is in the region for five days of meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials.
In a statement, Baird described his meeting with Malki as “cordial and constructive” and included “candid and frank exchanges on areas where we differ in opinion.”
Canada has been one of only a few Western countries to stand by Israel as it has come under fierce international criticism over deadlocked negotiations with the Palestinians, the recent Gaza war and its settlement building. Canada opposes the Palestinians’ unilateral attempts to reach statehood as well as its recent bid to pursue war crime charges against Israel at the International Criminal Court.
— With files from The Canadian Press