January 22, 2007

"Chide" tested by Canadian Globe and Mail

What does chide mean? I thought it meant to tell someone off or something. Then I saw this headline in the Canadian Globe and Mail: MacKay chides Israel's Livni over barrier. I'm suspicious when western governments "chide" Israel when they have never done anything that they could do to hinder whatever it is they are "chiding" Israel over. So I had to read (and then re-read) the article. I then looked up the word "chide" on dictionary.com. Ok so here's the closest Mackay gets to chiding Livni.
"The barrier itself came about born of concerns of security, born of concerns of protecting Israeli citizens. I understand that. Where Canada has concerns . . . is over the route," Peter MacKay told journalists last night in an otherwise warm joint news conference with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. It took place in Jerusalem on the third day of his four-day trip through Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories.
But then:
Mr. MacKay also spoke of the friendship he'd forged with Ms. Livni last summer, defended Canada's support during Israel's recent war with Lebanon's Hezbollah militia and praised his host as a likely "central actor" in final negotiations for a Palestinian state.

He also nodded thoughtfully as she spoke of a two-state solution that would not give Palestinian refugees the right to return to homes they had left in modern-day Israel.

That fuelled questions as to whether he, too, agreed with that position -- leading to a quick retort from Ms. Livni, some fumbling from Mr. MacKay and an abrupt end to the news conference. Officials later clarified Canada's policy that Palestinians' right of return is still to be negotiated.
So now for the definition of chide:
1. to express disapproval of; scold; reproach: The principal chided the children for their thoughtless pranks.

2. to harass, nag, impel, or the like by chiding: She chided him into apologizing.

3. to scold or reproach; find fault.
Does the article really justify the headline?

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