Canada granted de facto recognition to Israel in December 1948 and full de jure recognition on 11 May 1949 after the Jewish state was admitted into the United Nations as a member state. One week later, Avraham Harman was appointed as Israel's first Consul-General to Canada. In September 1953, a Canadian embassy was opened in Tel Aviv, and Michael Comay was appointed as the Israeli ambassador to Canada; a Canadian ambassador to Israel was appointed in 1958.
Diplomatic relations (1948–1990)
Former Israeli Chief of General Staff Benny Gantz with former Canadian Chief of Defense Staff Walter Natynczyk, 2012
In May 1961, David Ben-Gurion was the first Israeli Prime Minister to make an official visit to Canada. Since then, officials from both countries have made frequent trips. Members of Parliament, Cabinet Ministers and Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada have visited, Israel demonstrating the ever strengthening relationship and cooperation. In addition, the premiers of Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Ontario and Alberta and cabinet ministers from other provinces, have led successful commercial and cultural missions to Israel. A number of Canadian municipalities are twinning with Israeli cities. In 1957, after the Sinai Campaign, Lester Pearson, the Secretary of State for External Affairs, received the Nobel Peace Prize for successfully leading the process by which UN peace keeping troops were stationed along the border between Israel and Egypt. Canadian troops also played a central role in the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF). This role is part of the wider Canadian commitment to efforts designed to end the Arab-Israel conflict.[5] Later, in the late 1970s, Canada encouraged the peace negotiations between Israeli Prime MinisterMenachem Begin and Egyptian PresidentAnwar Sadat, and Begin stopped in Canada and met with Prime MinisterPierre Trudeau in 1977.
In general, while diplomatic relations were cordial, they were not particularly close during this period. A number of Canadian diplomats, like their European counterparts, tended to support the Arab positions against Israel in the United Nations and other frameworks. The Canadian Arabists, such as Ambassador Michael D. Bell, sought to align policy with the Arab states in order to promote commercial interests, and to gain Arab support for Canadian candidates and positions, in the United Nations. These positions generated considerable friction with Israel.
In the 1970s, the issue of Canadian complicity in the Arab economic warfare against Israel became an issue, particularly as cooperation with the boycott was illegal in the U.S., and was inconsistent with Canada's declaratory role as a global peace-maker. Ontario and Manitoba adopted anti-boycott policies, leading Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to consider federal legislation to prohibit Canadians and Canadian companies from cooperating with the Arab economic boycott of Israel. When corporate interests dealing with Arab and Muslim opposed the legislation, fearing a backlash, Trudeau allowed the legislation to die.[8]
In the multilateral negotiations that took place after the 1991 Madrid Conference, Canada agreed to head the multilateral working group on Palestinian refugee issues. Although a number of meetings were held and different options were discussed, no agreements were reached. In 1995, the multilateral talks reached an impasse.[9]
With the election of Stephen Harper's government in 2006, the relationship between Canada and Israel strengthened considerably.[weaselwords][10] The Harper government played a direct role in forming policy for the region, seeking to adjust the positions to be in conformity with the principles of the Conservative majority. Consequently, diplomats who promoted anti-Israel or Arabist policies lost influence.
As anti-Israel political movements spread to Canada, including at university campuses through events such as Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW), Canadian government officials and members of parliament from different parties expressed opposition. In 2010, Conservative MP Tim Uppal introduced a motion in the Canadian House of Commons that condemned IAW "for seeking to delegitimize the State of Israel by equating it with the racist South African apartheid regime." NDP and Bloc Québécois members refused to agree to its unanimous passage. The Bloc submitted its own motion, which also criticised use of the word "apartheid" but added a clause, stating not every criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic. The result was that all parties, with the exception of some NDP members, denounced Israeli Apartheid Week.[11]
On April 29, 2009, to mark the 61st anniversary of the State of Israel, PM Stephen Harper said "We count ourselves among Israel's closest partners. Since its founding in 1948, Canada has supported Israel and its right to live in peace and security with its neighbours. We value this relationship and look forward to continued friendship and collaboration."[12]
In a magazine interview published February 12, 2010, Environment Minister Peter Kent said: "Prime Minister Harper has made it quite clear for some time now and has regularly stated that an attack on Israel would be considered an attack on Canada."[13][14]
In 2013, Vivian Bercovici from Toronto was appointed as the Canadian Ambassador to Israel, and she served until June 2016. Currently, Lisa Stadelbauer is the Canadian Ambassador to Israel. She has served since 2021.[15]
Following the return of the Liberal Party to power under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2015, relations between Canada and Israel remained largely unchanged. In September 2016, Trudeau headed the Canadian delegation to the state funeral of Israeli leader Shimon Peres, and in his condolence message, stated: "Mr. Peres was an internationally-respected statesman and a great friend to Canada. He visited our country often, and helped build relations that remain strong to this day."[16] The day after the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, Trudeau issued a statement condemning Hamas’ attack and affirming Israel’s right to defend itself while maintaining international law.[17]
However, in order to avoid conflict and criticism from the oil-rich Arab countries, and reflecting the advice of the Arabists among the Canadian diplomatic corps, such as Michael D Bell for many years,[19] Canada either abstained or joined in voting against the numerous anti-Israel resolutions, in contrast to the United States, which voted with Israel. For many In the 1990s, the friction between Canada and Israel increased over this issue.
This policy changed under the Harper government, which voted more on the basis of support for and identification with Israeli democracy. On many anti-Israel resolutions introduced annually in the UN, Canada began to vote with Israel, the US, and Australia, and not with the Arab and Islamic blocs. For example, in the 2011 General Assembly Canada voted against a series of one-sided and strictly political resolution promoting "solidarity" with the Palestinians. [12]
In October 2010, Canada lost to Portugal in a vote for a seat at the Security Council, which has been attributed by some to the Arab and Islamic bloc's effort to punish Ottawa for not supporting anti-Israel agendas at the UN.[20][21][22] At a conference on combating anti-Semitism in Ottawa, November 8, 2010, Canadian PM Harper said "I know, by the way, because I have the bruises to show for it, that whether it is at the United Nations, or any other international forum, the easiest thing to do is simply to just get along and go along with this anti-Israeli rhetoric (...) There are, after all, a lot more votes — a lot more — in being anti-Israeli than in taking a stand. But, as long as I am prime minister, whether it is at the UN or the Francophonie or anywhere else, Canada will take that stand, whatever the cost.[23]
In 2016, Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that in 2020, Canada would seek election to the Security Council, raising concerns that in order to get support from the 57-nation Islamic bloc (the Organization of Islamic Cooperation), Ottawa would return to policies and votes for resolutions that targeted Israel.[24]
Trade relations
Canada exports agricultural products and raw materials to Israel, which, in turn, exports diamonds, textiles, clothing, and food products to Canada. On July 31, 1996, Canada and Israel signed a free trade agreement, called the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement (CIFTA). It came into effect on January 1, 1997. Bilateral trade subsequently increased to $1.24 billion by 2005.
In 2012, Joe Oliver, Canadian Minister of Natural Resources, and Uzi Landau, the former Israeli Minister of Energy and Water Resources, announced the creation of the Canada-Israel Energy Science and Technology Fund to spur the development of energy technologies and processes for the development of unconventional oil and gas resources. The Fund is expected to generate $20 to $40 million in collaborative research and development over a period of three years. Two Canadian R & D workshops took place in March 2013, bringing together leading Canadian and Israeli stakeholders.[25]
In September 2019, following four years of negotiations, the updated version of CIFTA entered into force, following ratification by both governments. The new agreement included Israeli access to Canada for the sales of produce and grain products, as well as wines. Israel agreed to tariff exemptions for Canadian companies in the realm of agricultural, agri-food and fisheries products. Clauses on women's rights and gender equality in trade were also included.[26] The volume of bilateral trade between Israel and Canada in 2018 was $1.1 billion, consisting primarily of chemical and machinery-related products, as well as medical or optical instruments.[26]
Israel was among Canada's top twelve non-US export destinations for military equipment in 2021 and 2022. Canada exported $26.1 million worth of military goods and technology to Israel in 2021,[27]and $21.3 million worth in 2022.[28]
Public opinion polls
The Conservative Party of Canada announced in 2018 that if elected, they would recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel following the lead of President Trump's U.S. Embassy moveA protest against Israel's bombing of the Gaza Strip in Toronto, Canada, November 18, 2023
A 2005 Gallup Poll of Canadian views on the Arab-Israeli conflict found that 34% sympathised most with Israel, 30% sympathised most with Palestinian Arabs, and 36% said they did not have sympathy for either party or had no opinion.[29]
According to a COMPAS poll during the 2006 Lebanon War, the majority of Canadians believed Israel has a right to self-defense and Iran and Syria should not be sheltering Hezbollah, which is classified as a terrorist organisation in Canada. 45% of Canadians opposed Harper's pro-Israeli stance. According to the COMPAS poll, 38 per cent of those polled believed Hezbollah started the war, and 35 per cent believe Israel started the war.[30]
According to a 2013 BBC World Service Poll, 25% of Canadians view Israel as having a positive influence.[31] An online poll, by Canada's Sun News in 2014, indicated that 72% would support Israel in a war with Iran.[32]
In another poll conducted in 2012, 48% of Canadians supported their government favouring neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians.[33]
A poll conducted by Canada's Forum Research after the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict, found that 26% of Canadians support Israel, while 17% support Palestinians. Despite Canadians' support for Israel, they still remain critical of Israel's policies, as 49% believed the attack on Gaza during that summer was not justified (against 30% who think it was), 42% agreed that Israel's use of force was out of proportion, and 41% disagreed that Hamas is the only one responsible for the deaths of innocent Gazans. However, a large majority of 73% believed Hamas' rocket attacks on Israel are unjustified.[34]
An EKOS poll conducted in September 2023 found that 48% of Canadians aged 18 to 34 saw Israel as "a state with segregation similar to apartheid", compared to 29% of Canadians aged 55 to 64.[35] A Mainstreet Research poll conducted in early November 2023 found that 59% of Canadians approved of Canada's support for Israel in the Israel–Hamas war, while 18% disapproved.[36] On the subject of Palestinian genocide accusations, an Angus Reid poll conducted in early February 2024 found that 41% of Canadians believed Israel is committing genocide, while 32% rejected the accusation.[37]
Controversies
Israeli agents working for the Mossad are widely believed to be responsible for the assassination of Gerald Bull, a Canadian engineer, in Brussels, Belgium in 1990[38]
In September 1997, Mossad agents were apprehended by Jordanian authorities after attempting to assassinate Khaled Mashal, a senior Hamas member. They were found to have used Canadian passports as part of the assassination attempt. Canada recalled its Ambassador to Israel in protest over the misuse of Canadian passports.[39]
In 2008, Israeli Ambassador to Canada, Alan Baker, said he feared Canadian Muslims might impact Canada's foreign policy. He said that the Canadian Muslims might push their values onto Canadians, which "wouldn't gel with Canadian values of mutual respect." He also criticised a Muslim Member of Parliament, Omar Alghabra[40] and said that "Muslim activists" had prevented him from speaking.[41]Bob Rae of the Liberal party called the comments inappropriate and inaccurate and Alghabra described them as "generalizing" and "divisive." The Canadian Arab Federation accused Baker of sowing division amongst Canadians.[41] An editorial in the Toronto Star asserted that Israeli diplomats should not "interfere in Canadian affairs".[40]
On October 24, 2023, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war but said he supported "humanitarian pauses" to deliver aid to the people of the Gaza Strip.[42] However, on November 14, 2023, Trudeau urged Israel to stop "this killing of women, of children, of babies" in the Gaza Strip. His statements were subsequently criticized by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.[43]
On March 19, 2024, it was reported that Canada would halt future arms deals to Israel, due to alleged Israeli failure to do enough to protect civilians in Gaza during the war.[44]Israel Katz, Israel's Foreign Minister, responded by saying: "History will judge Canada’s current action harshly."[45]
The Embassy of Israel in Ottawa is Israel's embassy in Canada. It is located at 50 O'Connor Street, suite 1005, in Ottawa, the Canadian capital. Israel also operates Canadian regional consulates in Montreal and Toronto. In May 2011, it was vandalised with a spray painted message which read "Embassy of War Crimes".[46]
It was reported in October 2022 that the RCMP had downgraded security for the Embassy of Israel in Ottawa and Israeli head of mission shortly after Nimrod Barkan, the former ambassador of Israel to Canada, retired in November 2019.[47] Officials at the Embassy of Israel in Ottawa have stated that in the current climate there is a feeling of being at risk of violence after nearly three years of pushing Global Affairs Canada to increase its security.[47]
The Council for the National Interest ("CNI") is a 501(c)(4) non-profit, non-partisan anti-war advocacy group focused on transparency and accountability about the relationship of Israel and the United States and the impact their alliance has for other nations and individuals in other Middle East countries. Based in the United States and most active during the 2000s decade, the Council has highlighted Israel's disposition towards its neighbors, and how Middle Eastern nations, Palestinian rights and other aspects of Middle East life & relations are impacted by the Israel's policies and its financial, trade, and military relationships with the US. They have focused on popular sentiment and perceptions in the US and the between the two countries. They highlight how these policies have impacted the fate of Palestine and, treatment of Muslims within the US since the 1990s.
The United States of America was the first country to recognize the nascent State of Israel. Since the 1960s, the American Israeli relationship has grown into a mutually beneficial alliance in economic, strategic and military aspects. The United States has provided strong support for Israel. It has played a key role in the promotion of good relations between Israel and its neighbouring Arab states—notably Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt—while holding off hostility from countries such as Syria and Iran. In turn, Israel provides a strategic American foothold in the region as well as intelligence and advanced technological partnerships in both the civilian and military worlds. During the Cold War, Israel was a vital counterweight to Soviet influence in the region. Relations with Israel are an important factor in the U.S. government's overall foreign policy in the Middle East, and the U.S. Congress has placed considerable importance on the maintenance of a supportive relationship.
The Canadian Arab Federation (CAF) was formed in 1967 to represent the interests of Arab Canadians with respect to the formulation of public policy in Canada. It presently consists of over 40 member organizations.
Reactions to the 2006 Lebanon War came from states on all continents, supranational bodies, individuals and international NGOs, as well as political lobbyists in the United States.
Israeli–Venezuelan relations refer to foreign relations between Israel and Venezuela. Both countries have no formal relations since 2009. Canada serves as Israel's protecting power in Venezuela through its embassy in Caracas, while Spain serves as Venezuela's protecting power in Israel through its embassy in Tel Aviv.
Israel–New Zealand relations are the foreign relations between the State of Israel and New Zealand. While Israel has an embassy in Wellington, New Zealand's embassy in Ankara, Turkey is accredited to Israel. Diplomatic relations between the two countries date back to January 1949. New Zealand has exported a mixture of agricultural and manufactured goods to Israel. In return, Israel has exported a range of manufactured goods to New Zealand. Bilateral relations between the two countries have been complicated by issues such as the 2004 Israel–New Zealand passport scandal, United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, and the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Israel and Spain have maintained diplomatic ties since 1986. Israel has an embassy in Madrid. Spain has an embassy in Tel Aviv, and an honorary consulate in Haifa. There is also a General Consulate in Jerusalem, which serves as a diplomatic mission to the city of Jerusalem, Gaza and the territories of the West Bank. In addition to both countries being member states of the United Nations, both countries are members of the Union for the Mediterranean.
Belgium–Israel relations are the bilateral relations between Belgium and Israel. Belgium voted in favor of the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine in 1947 and recognized the State of Israel on January 15, 1950. Belgium has an embassy in Tel Aviv, and Israel has an embassy in Brussels.
Israel–Singapore relations, also referred to as Israeli–Singaporean relations, refers to the bilateral relations between the State of Israel and the Republic of Singapore. Relations between the two countries have been extremely cordial and friendly for more than half a century, which are influenced by their similar geopolitical state of affairs, being relatively small states surrounded by larger neighbors hostile to their continued existence.
Israel–Jordan relations are the diplomatic, economic and cultural relations between Israel and Jordan. The two countries share a land border, with three border crossings: Yitzhak Rabin/Wadi Araba Crossing, Jordan River Crossing and the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge Crossing, that connects the West Bank with Jordan. The relationship between the two countries is regulated by the Israel–Jordan peace treaty in 1994, which formally ended the state of war that had existed between the two countries since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, and also established diplomatic relations, besides other matters. Relations between the countries get strained from time to time, usually over tensions at the Al-Aqsa mosque. On 8 October 2020, Israel and Jordan reached an agreement to allow flights to cross over both countries’ airspace.
The bilateral relations between the State of Palestine and Russia have a complex history, deeply interwoven with Russian and Soviet relations with the Israeli enterprise, Palestinian nationalism, and Third World national liberation movements. Between 1956 and 1990, Soviet–Palestinian relations were part of the then-ongoing Soviet–American confrontation.
The bilateral relations between Australia and Israel were formally established in 1949. Australia has an embassy in Tel Aviv and Israel has an embassy in Canberra.
China–Palestine relations, also referred to as Sino–Palestinian relations, encompass the long bilateral relationship between China and Palestine dating back from the early years of the Cold War.
Direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority took place throughout 2010 as part of the peace process, between United States President Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. The ultimate aim of the direct negotiations is reaching an official "final status settlement" to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict by implementing a two-state solution, with Israel remaining a Jewish state, and the establishment of a state for the Palestinian people.
Egypt–Palestine relations are the bilateral relations between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the State of Palestine. Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser was a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause and he favored self-determination for the Palestinians. Although the Egyptian government has maintained a good relationship with Israel since the Camp David Accords, most Egyptians strongly resent Israel, and disapprove of the close relationship between the Israeli and Egyptian governments.
The two-state solution is a proposed approach to resolving the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, by creating two states on the territory of the former Mandatory Palestine.
Reactions to the 2014 Gaza War came from around the world.
The foreign policy of Justin Trudeau is Canada's foreign policy since Justin Trudeau became Prime Minister in November 2015. Mélanie Joly has served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs since October 2021.
On 7 October 2023, a large escalation of the Gaza–Israel conflict began with a coordinated offensive by multiple Palestinian militant groups against Israel. A number of countries, including many of Israel's Western allies, such as the United States and a number of European countries, condemned the attacks by Hamas, expressed solidarity for Israel and stated that Israel has a right to defend itself from armed attacks, while countries of the Muslim world have expressed support for the Palestinians, blaming the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories as being the root cause for the escalation of violence. The events prompted several world leaders to announce their intention to visit Israel, including US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The Israel–Hamas war sparked a major diplomatic crisis, with many countries around the world reacting strongly to the conflict that affected the momentum of regional relations. At least nine countries took the drastic step of recalling their ambassadors and cutting diplomatic ties with Israel. The conflict has also resulted in a renewed focus on a two-state solution to the ongoing conflict.
1 2 Kay, Zachariah (2010). The Diplomacy of Impartiality: Canada and Israel, 1958-1968. Wilfrid Laurier University Press. ISBN978-1554581870.
↑ Brown, Michael (1987). Jew or Juif: Jews, French Canadians and Anglo-Canadians 1759-1914. Philadelphia, PA: Jewish Publication Society.
↑ Delisle, Esther (1993). The Traitor and the Jews: Anti-Semitism and Extremist Right-Wing Nationalism in French Canada, 1929-1939. Toronto, Ont: Robert Davies Publishing.
↑ Stanislawski, Howard (1983). Ethnic Interest Group Activity in the Canadian Foreign Policy-Making process: A Case Study of the Arab Boycott. Oakville, Ontario: Mosaic Press. pp.200–220.
↑ Spiegel, Steve; Pervin, David (1995). Practical Peacemaking in the Middle East: The Environment, Water, Refugees and Development. Routledge.
Kay, Zachariah (2010). The diplomacy of impartiality: Canada and Israel, 1958–1968. Wilfrid Laurier University Press.
Spitka, Timea. "Normative Canadian foreign policy towards consensus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." Canadian Foreign Policy Journal 27.1 (2021): 151-156.
Wildeman, Jeremy. "Assessing Canada’s foreign policy approach to the Palestinians and Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding, 1979–2019." Canadian Foreign Policy Journal 27.1 (2021): 62-80. online
Wildeman, Jeremy. "The Middle East in Canadian foreign policy and national identity formation." International Journal 76.3 (2021): 359-383. online
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