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OTTAWA — A former Israeli ambassador has joined several Toronto-area lawyers in decrying an apparent discrepancy between the federal Conservative government’s public support for Israel and official policy statements on the Foreign Affairs website.

Alan Baker, a former Israeli ambassador to Canada, and the six lawyers have written to Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird demanding the website be changed “to align it with statements and policies publicly expressed by the Prime Minister, yourself and other government representatives.”

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They are particularly incensed that the website refers to the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights as “occupied territories” and declares the construction of Israeli settlements and a large barrier inside those areas illegal.

“Parts of this policy statement appear to run counter to the Canadian expressions of support for Israel and its positions,” the group wrote, “as well as against specific statements repeatedly made by Prime Minister Harper and Foreign Minister Baird.”