“There’s a climate that tolerates open hostility toward Jews and toward Israel.”
The announcement follows a rise in antisemitic and anti-Israel incidents across Canada over the past 18 months, including firebombings, shootings, and threats against Jewish community centers and Israeli institutions. The NSC issued the warning ahead of anti-Israel protests scheduled in several Canadian cities, including Toronto and Waterloo, on the same day as planned pro-Israel community events.
“It’s a very sad reflection of where things have gone in Canada,” Ambassador Vivian Bercovici, Canada’s former ambassador to Israel and a Toronto native, who is Jewish, told TPS-IL. “There’s a climate that tolerates open hostility toward Jews and towards Israel.”
Bercovici described a shift in public safety around events like Toronto’s annual Walk for Israel — once a family-friendly parade, now held under tight security.