Israel’s National Security Council has raised its potential threat level for Canada, warning Israelis to “avoid displaying Jewish and Israeli symbols in public” due to a heightened terror threat level.
In a statement published on Sunday, the Council, which is Israel’s central body for national security analysis and monitoring, updated its travel alert for Canada, from Level 1 (not travel warning) to Level 2 (potential threat level). The update cited “increased threat by terrorists against Israelis and Jews in Canada”, noting that “In the past 18 months, there have been several attacks against Jewish institutions and centres, including shooting incidents, Molotov cocktails and threats against Israelis/Jews in the country.”
The Council recommended that all Israelis travelling to Canada, or who are currently in Canada, “exercise increased precautionary measures, avoid displaying Jewish and Israeli symbols in public and remain extra vigilant while in public.” It also mentioned planned protests by anti-Israel organisations in two Canadian cities – Toronto and Waterloo – stating that: “in the past few days, the discourse surrounding these events has become more radical, including what could be understood as calls to violently harm Israelis and Jews at these events.”
According to a 2024 survey by Canada’s Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), 82% of Jews in the country feel less safe since 7 October. In a report published in April, Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism cited a 970% increase in antisemitism in Canada during 2024.
Hate crimes against the Canadian Jewish community since October 7th have included three different incidents of gunshots being fired at a Jewish girls school in Montreal, and a man indicted by a court in Toronto in March on charges of “advocating genocide” against Jews.
The Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, recently published a joint statement with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Macron, which called for Israel to immediately halt its current military operation in Gaza or suffer consequences. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by accusing Carney, Starmer and Macron of being “on the wrong side of justice, humanity and history.”
