After months of speculation, a former Jewish member of Parliament has been appointed Canada’s ambassador to Israel.
David Berger, 45, who for 17 years was the federal parliamentarian for Westmount, representing one of Montreal’s more affluent suburbs, was recently appointed to replace Ambassador Norman Spector.
Spector, another Montrealer, had been the First Jew appointed as ambassador to the Jewish state.
A Canadian Arab group, the National Council on Canadian Arab Relations, condemned the move.
“His ardent support during his parliamentary career for most of Israel’s excesses render him singularly inappropriate for this position,” said Executive Director Ian Watson in a prepared statement. He added that Berger had participated in the “demonization” of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian cause.
This participation is serious baggage in light of the fact that Berger will be responsible for relations with Yasser Arafat’s Palestinian Authority in Jericho and Gaza, Watson said.
In contrast, Canadian Jewish groups are delighted.
“The Jewish community is very pleased,” said Mike Cohen, Canadian Jewish Congress’s national communications director.
Cohen said despite Berger’s lack of diplomatic experience, he is extremely qualified to hold the post.
“It’s good they have someone there who is familiar with Israel,” he said.
B’nai Brith Canada’s executive director agreed. “We’re confident that he’ll continue to serve Israel very, very well,” Frank Dimant said.
Berger is a member of a family long committed to Israel and the Canadian Jewish community.
His late father, Sam, was an entrepreneur and former owner of the defunct Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. His brother, Robert, has served on the boards and committees of Jewish organizations, including those at Montreal’s Jewish federation.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
