World leaders converge on Paris in search of photo-ops

Charlie Hebdo is obviously much more loved in death than in life. In life, they were consistently harassed by the French state. In death, they are lionized by the French state.

And far beyond! These champions of freedom of expression have inspired a solidarity march in Paris tomorrow, that has virtually every leader in the free world clamouring to climb aboard the bandwagon!
Merkel, Cameron, Poroshenko... yes, ALL the leaders of the free world, and apparently every member of the Israeli Knesset to boot!

Thus far Canada has missed the boat on this one, designating Public Safety Minister Steve Blaney, a non-entity, to represent the country. But that was before news came out that all the top-echelon Likud crowd would be in attendance, which may yet cause a change of plans in Ottawa.

This is truly a heart-warming rally in support of freedom of speech!

But while our hearts are warm and our eyes are misty, let's not forget that as recently as last summer, the nation that now parades itself as the very womb of "freedom of expression," criminalized protest against Israel's invasion of Gaza.

Ah, but life is awash with ironies, is it not?

US denies visa to Israeli parliamentarian over terror links

Member of the Knesset Michael Ben Ari has been denied a visa to attend a conference in the US.

The National Union MK is closely aligned with the Kach Party of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane. Due to Kahane's advocacy of violent ethnic cleansing of Palestinians Kach is outlawed in Israel and is considered a terror organization by the US State Department.

National Union is less radical than Kach but does not support any kind of self-determination for the occupied territories.

The Israeli government responded by cancelling the trip, which was also to include three other MK's.