Canada-Israel relations are in a ‘new atmosphere,’ Israeli ambassador says
The “initial moves” by the Mark Carney government suggest a “new atmosphere” for Canada-Israel relations, Israeli Ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed said in an interview with Global News.
“The initial moves of the current government, be it to threaten Israel or official summation to the ministry, are moves that are different. We have not heard that in the past, so in that sense, that’s what I’m talking about, this new atmosphere,” Moed told Global News when asked if he noticed a difference in tone between the current government and that of former prime minister Justin Trudeau.
Canada summoned Israel’s ambassador after the Israel Defense Forces fired shots in the vicinity of a diplomatic delegation in the West Bank that included four Canadians.
The IDF says no one was injured in the incident.
“Relieved to know our team is safe,” Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said in a post on X.
“I have asked my officials to summon Israel’s Ambassador to convey Canada’s serious concerns. We expect a full investigation and accountability.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney said the incident was “totally unacceptable.”
While Moed did not divulge the details of his meeting, he said it was unclear what was “unacceptable” to Carney.
“I’m not sure what was unacceptable. The fact that diplomats came close to Israeli soldiers in a combat area, which they know is active? Was that unacceptable? Was the fact that they were walking outside the agreed and co-ordinated route unacceptable? To me, that is unacceptable too.”
Carney told reporters on Wednesday that the incident was one of “many things” in the region that were unacceptable.
Moed told Global News that no one was in danger.
“We don’t know what happened exactly, but the soldiers were not aware of the presence of this group and they saw a group of people approaching them. And so they fired some shots in the air, warning shots. At no point in time, anyone was in danger.”
He added that the IDF had expressed its “regrets” over the incident.
Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s foreign minister, said in a social media post that the situation is unacceptable and Israel’s ambassador to France has been summoned to explain it.
Italian Foreign Affairs Minister Antonio Tajani said he is also calling on the Israeli ambassador in Italy to explain the incident.
In a joint statement issued earlier this week, Carney, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron threatened to impose “targeted sanctions” on Israel in response to its renewed military offensive in Gaza and the “wholly inadequate” amount of food aid allowed into the enclave.
The letter also stated the leaders’ opposition to “any attempt” to expand Israeli settlement in the West Bank.
Carney on Wednesday would not say what “concrete action” Canada would take if Israel ignores the leaders’ request, but suggested any measures would be part of a joint response with France and Britain.
— with files from Global’s Sean Boynton
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