Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham now says that Canada will not chastise the Israeli ambassador for his statements about Jamal Akkal, arrested in Israel for planning to carry out Hamas-sponsored attacks in Canada and the US. (Hat tip: cba.)

Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham apologized Saturday for the statement made by a spokesman who said that Canada will rebuke the Israeli ambassador in Ottawa.

On Friday, Foreign Affairs spokesman Reynald Doiron said Israeli Ambassador Haim Divon would be told his comments about Canadian citizen Jamal Akkal were improper.

"We're going to tell (Divon) that the comments made by him and other people in his embassy are inappropriate," said Doiron.

"All officials in both governments have the duty and the obligation to be very, very discreet about a case which is under judicial review."

Akkal, 23, is in jail in Israel under suspicion of being a Hamas militant who was going to attack Jews in Canada.

But on Saturday, Graham backed away from the idea that Divon will be scolded. "I'm sorry if there has been the impression" that the ambassador will be reprimanded, he said. Rather, Divon will be consulted about his statements.

Akkal’s lawyer and family continue to say that Akkal is a good little angel who was forced to confess by the evil Israelis, and never had any intention of getting mixed up with Hamas. But if you watch the streaming video on this page at CBC News, you’ll see his family home in Gaza—with a Hamas flag painted next to the front door.