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When Stephen Harper visited Israel last year, the diplomatic correspondent for Haaretz newspaper poured cold water on the special rapport between the Canadian prime minister and his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Mr. Harper has earned himself a cabin in the first-class berth of the Titanic that is called the government of Israel,” wrote Barak Ravid.

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His suggestion was Mr. Netanyahu was “going down” in the general election, which will be held Tuesday, and would take the special relationship with him.

Reports of Mr. Netanyahu’s demise may have been greatly exaggerated — he remains more likely than his chief challenger, Isaac Herzog, to be able to pull together a ruling coalition.

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But is it accurate to say the special relationship has been built between the two leaders, rather than the two countries? Will Canada continue to stand with Israel, in Mr. Harper’s words, “through fire and water” when one or other of the two leaves office?