Israel: Canada’s blind eye to Palestinian terrorism emboldens it

Canada’s condemnation of Israel emboldens Palestinian terrorism, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

“A wave of Palestinian terrorism is sweeping Judea and Samaria. Israelis are being murdered and wounded by Palestinian terrorists. Yet Canada’s response is not to focus on the terrorists or those who glorify and encourage them, but to condemn Israel,” the ministry tweeted.

Canada’s Foreign Ministry posted earlier on X a message condemning “the ongoing violence in the West Bank.”

It went on to say that “The expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank must stop. These settlements are illegal under international law and undermine prospects for peace, security and stability.”

Two Israelis were killed and six wounded in a terrorist shooting near Havat Gilad (Gilad Farm) in Samaria last week when Palestinians attacked a group of Israelis hiking in the area.

The victims were identified as Benayahu Melet, 32, a member of the community’s rapid-response security team and its agriculture director, and Maj. Yuval Ezra, 27, from Herzliya, a commander in the 411th Battalion of the 282nd Artillery Brigade, who later succumbed to his wounds.

On Saturday, Palestinians south of Hebron engaged in an altercation with Israeli civilians near the Jewish community of Susya, after which one of the Palestinians seized a weapon of one of the Israelis, fired several shots into the air, and fled the scene. The Israeli civilian whose weapon was stolen is an active-duty soldier who was on leave at home. He was wounded in the incident.

“Terror against the communities is escalating to a very dangerous stage. The terror is trying to frighten us and expel us from here. We will add more life and expand the settlement enterprise in the area,” said Eliram Azulay, head of the Mount Hebron Regional Council.

Speaking about this series of incidents, Israel’s ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed said on X that “A Palestinian terrorist shot Israelis at point-blank range, murdering two and seriously wounding two others. Yet Canada’s response is to condemn Israel.”

He added, “This kind of message gives a green light to terrorism, just as recognizing a Palestinian state in the aftermath of October 7, [2023], does.”

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, a nonprofit association representing Jewish Federations across Canada, lashed out at the hypocrisy exercised by the Canadian leadership.

“Earlier this month, while in Türkiye and Saudi Arabia—two countries with deeply troubling human rights records, including one that continues to detain a human rights activist whose family lives in Canada—Prime Minister [Mark] Carney said Canadian foreign policy would no longer pursue the ineffective strategy of ‘lecturing countries from afar.’ Is there a double standard in which this new approach does not apply when it comes to Israel?” CIJA tweeted.

(The human rights activist is Salma al-Shehab, a Saudi doctoral student at the University of Leeds who was arrested during a visit to Saudi Arabia in 2021 over her social media activity. Her case has been raised repeatedly by Canadian lawmakers and human rights organizations.)

Israel’s embassy in Ottawa’s X account apparently reacted to Canada’s statement as well on Wednesday, writing, “Israel condemns the ongoing violence against Jews in Canada. The continued shooting attacks against Jewish targets must stop. These incidents undermine prospects for peace, security and reconciliation.”

It called for “de-escalation and protection of civilians.

“The law must be respected, and all civilians must be able to live in safety and security,” the embassy said.