CP

A former Liberal MP says Harper Conservatives are attempting to use the conflict in Gaza for their own political gain. Omar Alghabra, an MP for Mississauga from 2006 to 2008 and Liberal candidate for the next federal election, was accused by the Tories of "attacking" Israel in a Facebook post he wrote Sunday. But Alghabra says his words are purposely being misrepresented to score cheap points. Over the weekend, Alghabra shared a news story on his personal page about Israeli airstrikes that killed four Palestinians. "Tragic! My thoughts and prayers are with the innocent civilians caught in blind and cruel bombing," he wrote.

Alghabra told HuffPost Canada he edited his post a few minutes later to read: "Tragic! My thoughts and prayers are with the innocent civilians, on both sides caught in bombing."

Alghabra's posts caught the attention of a Tory rival who wasted little time denouncing him. In a media release Monday, Conservative MP Costas Menegakis accused Alghabra of quietly deleting a "flagrant attack" against Israel. Menegakis said in the release that Alghabra called Israeli airstrikes a "blind and cruel bombing." The Tory MP also criticized Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau for not "standing with Israel" like Prime Minister Stephen Harper. "While Trudeau's silence on the current situation in the Middle East is deafening, he uses spokesmen like Omar Alghabra to deliver anti-Israel messages to certain segments of the Canadian public," Menegakis said in the statement. The Tory MP also accused Liberals of drawing a false equivalence between Hamas, a terrorist organization, and a democracy defending itself. "The truth is that Israel uses weapons to protect its civilians, while Hamas uses civilians to protect its weapons," said Menegakis, who serves as parliamentary secretary to the minister of citizenship. Conservatives issued a tweet attacking Alghabra and the Liberals Monday, linking to a page soliciting donations.

The Liberals don’t stand with #Israel – we do. Add your name if you stand with us: http://t.co/iV1aZugEmd#cdnpolipic.twitter.com/cI4jctZIEQ — Conservative Party (@CPC_HQ) July 14, 2014