Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rebuked Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday following remarks in which Carney appeared to agree with a protester who accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
“Canada has always sided with civilization. So should Mr. Carney,” Netanyahu posted on X. “But instead of supporting Israel, a democracy fighting a just war with just means against the barbarians of Hamas, he attacks the only Jewish state. Mr. Carney, backtrack your irresponsible statement!”
Carney, who took over from Justin Trudeau as Canadian prime minister on March 14, claimed that he hadn’t heard a heckler accuse the Jewish state of “genocide” in the Gaza Strip when he agreed with the protester on Wednesday.
During a rally in Calgary on Tuesday, an anti-Israel activist yelled, “Mr. Carney, there’s a genocide in Palestine” at the Liberal Party leader, who is seeking another term as premier in Canada’s national election on April 28.
“I’m aware,” Carney told the protester. “That’s why we have an arms embargo.”
Asked the next day to clarify his response, Carney said that he did not hear the word “genocide” and that he was just “stating a fact in terms of the arms restrictions.
“It’s noisy, you get—if you’re up there, you hear snippets of what people say,” he said. “My point was, I’m aware of the situation in Gaza.”
The Canadian leader’s response was “Kamala Harris all over again,” wrote Elliot Kaufman, a member of The Wall Street Journal editorial board. (The former U.S. vice president and Democratic nominee for president appeared to often agree with hecklers who said the Jewish state was genocidal, and her office often issued subsequent clarifications.)
In September, the Trudeau government revealed it had revoked some 30 arms export permits issued for Israel before the previous January, when Ottawa announced a ban on sales of weapons that could be used in the war against Hamas.
“We will not have any form of arms, or parts of arms, be sent to Gaza,” stated Mélanie Joly, the Canadian minister for foreign affairs and international development.
Last month, Carney charged—without naming the Jewish state—that it was wrong to cut off electricity to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
“It has been more than two days that the supply of electricity to Gaza has been shut off,” he stated. “It must resume. Essentials including food, electricity and medical supplies should never be used as political tools.”
Carney added that “Canada must work with our allies to stand up for international law to promote sustainable peace and security in the Middle East and to support full access to humanitarian aid for Palestinian families.”
“As this work continues, both parties must work towards the return of all hostages and the completion of the ceasefire agreement,” he said.
Pro-Israel commentators and Canadian politicians denounced the post.
“Both parties must work toward releasing the hostages? Are you kidding?” wrote Marty Morantz, a Jewish lawmaker. “Hamas brutally kidnapped them on Oct. 7, 2023. They’ve been held in brutal captivity since then. Many have died including Canadians like Judi Weinstein. You should be unequivocally calling for their immediate release.”