What caused the near collapse of Canada-Israel relations?
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently confirmed in an interview with Bloomberg that his country intends to arrest Netanyahu if he enters the country.
Asked if he intends to execute the Hague court’s arrest warrant if Netanyahu enters the country, as his predecessor, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, did, Carney responded in the affirmative.
The International Criminal Court, which is based in The Hague, Netherlands, has issued several arrest warrants for individuals involved in Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, including for Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant.
A look back at Canada-Israel relations
While past Canadian leaders, such as Stephen Harper, have been openly pro-Israel, recent governments have taken a more nuanced stance. Analysts point to a shift from “best friend” rhetoric to a more moderate approach amid the Gaza war.
Canada has been critical of almost any pro-Palestinian stance and criticism of Israel since 2011.
Then-Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, a rival to Justin Trudeau, was competing for the title of “best friend” of the Jewish state in 2015.
In 2011, he aligned Canada’s votes at the United Nations with the pro-Israel bloc of the United States and a group of small Pacific island nations that typically follow Washington. Harper has personally enjoyed friendly relations with Netanyahu.