Israel raises alert for travellers to Canada, warning of ‘increased threat’

Israel raised its travel alert for Canada to a “potential threat level” on Sunday, warning of “an increased threat by terrorists against Israelis and Jews in Canada.”

The warning issued by Israel’s National Security Council came on the same day as demonstrators gathered in Toronto, Vancouver and other Canadian cities for the United Jewish Appeal’s annual Walk with Israel event.

“Today (Sunday), anti-Israel organizations in Canada are planning to hold protests and demonstrations … in opposition to rallies in support of Israel,” the Israeli notice says.

“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.”

The notice recommends attendees at the Walk with Israel events follow the instructions and advice of police and security officials “and avoid any friction with the anti-Israel protests.”

Toronto police said Sunday they had arrested a man for causing a “disturbance” at the Walk with Israel event in that city. They did not immediately release further details.

Deputy Chief Lauren Pogue said in a statement Friday that police were “aware of plans by some individuals to interfere with the event” in Toronto and would have “a strong presence in and around” the demonstration along with regional policing agencies.

Canadian Jewish organizations have hosted the Walk with Israel event, though sometimes under different names, for more than 50 years.

In its notice Sunday, Israel’s National Security Council further warned Israelis travelling to Canada and those who are already in the country to “exercise increased precautionary measures, avoid displaying Jewish and Israeli symbols in public and remain extra vigilant while in public.”

The warning notes a rise in attacks and threats against Jewish institutions and centres in Canada over the past 18 months since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel’s military began bombarding Gaza in response.

Earlier Sunday, police said a Toronto man was arrested after allegedly posting “several hate-motivated death threats against the Israeli community on social media” between Wednesday and Saturday.

The suspect, identified as 26-year-old Basel Al-Sukhon, was arrested Saturday and charged with uttering threats and “indecent communications.”

That arrest came the same day as Toronto police requested the public’s help identifying a suspect who allegedly vandalized signs on the front lawn of a synagogue in the area of Bayview Avenue and York Mills Road on Dec. 2, 2024.

Toronto police said Saturday the same suspect is believed to have returned to the synagogue and vandalized its signs on Dec. 20, 2024, and later vandalized signs at three other synagogues along Bayview Avenue on May 18.

“This investigation is being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence,” police said in a statement.

Sunday’s demonstrations were held as Israel continued its renewed military offensive in Gaza after a ceasefire with Hamas ended in March. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours killed at least 38 people.

Israel has vowed to secure the release of all hostages Hamas still holds in Gaza, which Hamas has said it will only do in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and a complete Israeli withdrawal from the territory.

Israel also blocked the import of all food, medicine and fuel for two-and-a-half months before letting some aid enter Gaza last week, after experts’ warnings of famine and pressure from some of Israel’s top allies — including Canada.

Prime Minister Mark Carney released a joint statement with the leaders of France and the United Kingdom calling on Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza or face “concrete actions,” including sanctions.

The statement drew fierce criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.

“No more rampaging anti-Semitic riots on Canadian streets,” Poilievre said in a speech to the Conservative caucus in Ottawa on Sunday, without referring specifically to the Walk with Israel events.

Israel says it plans to seize full control of Gaza and facilitate what it describes as the voluntary migration of much of its population of more than 2 million Palestinians, a plan rejected by Palestinians and much of the international community.

—with files from the Associated Press

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