Israel Presses Canada on Antisemitism After Synagogue Attacks

OTTAWA - Senior Israeli officials have launched a coordinated diplomatic effort to press Canada to strengthen its measures against antisemitism, following a series of recent attacks on Jewish institutions in the Toronto area.

The campaign, which includes direct outreach from Israel's president and foreign minister, comes amid heightened concerns over threats linked to Iran's regional activities. Israeli Ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed stated during a virtual forum organized by the Jewish advocacy group B'nai Brith last week that his government aims "to create a significant change in the way antisemitism is being dealt with here in Canada." He suggested that Canada may need to limit certain freedoms to protect Jewish communities from what he described as abuses of democratic values by nefarious actors, though he did not specify which freedoms.

The push intensified after shootings targeted three synagogues in the Toronto region earlier this month. On March 9, Israeli President Isaac Herzog held a rare conference call with Jewish community leaders from the area, urging Canada to address what he called an "unprecedented wave of Jew-hatred" that has surged since the October 7, 2023,...