PM Harper is a respected world statesman among the western liberal democracies and nowhere more highly than in Israel where he was the only Canadian PM and one of the only foreign leaders ever to be asked to address the Knesset and why he has received other high honours from the state of Israel.

He has founded a consulting form that aims to provide strategic and other advice to governments and major corporations that share the former PM`s values and goals.  

So it makes sense that the former PM may very well have lined up a series of high level meetings to discuss possible consulting engagements with Israeli government and business leaders.

This, if it is the case, would require PM Harper to make his own travel arrangements according to his own schedule of meetings.

And travelling alone would provide the added and not inconsiderable benefit of not having to politely listen to hours of tedious and simplistic twaddle from the chap who replaced him as PM. 

A real win-win situation!