Canada and Israel's diplomatic relationship has deteriorated to its worst point in history, Israeli Ambassador Iddo Moed warned this week, marking a dramatic shift in ties between two countries that have traditionally maintained strong bilateral relations.
"These are the worst Canada-Israel relations we have ever experienced," Moed told The Globe and Mail in an interview. The ambassador's stark assessment reflects growing tensions over Ottawa's policy shifts regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Gaza.
The relationship has frayed over multiple policy changes by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government, including Canada's decision to restore funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), increased criticism of Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, and Ottawa's support for Palestinian statehood recognition efforts at international forums.
Most significantly, Canada has suspended certain military export permits to Israel and called for a ceasefire in Gaza in increasingly firm language that Israeli officials view as ignoring their security concerns regarding Hamas.
"The Canadian government seems to have fundamentally reassessed its position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," said one Israeli diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We're seeing Canada align more closely with European critics than with Israel's traditional allies."
The deterioration in relations reflects a broader pattern of , particularly among Western democracies. While the remains a steadfast ally under most administrations, countries like , , , and have adopted more critical stances on Israeli policies in the occupied territories.


