Canada Presses Israel for Independent Probe Into Flotilla Detentions
Ottawa-Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has called for an independent investigation into Israel’s treatment of activists detained aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, describing the reported treatment of civilians, including Canadian citizens, as “appalling,” according to a statement released by his office on Monday.
Carney conveyed the message during a conversation with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, while also expressing concern over conditions in Gaza, which his office described as “catastrophic.”
The Canadian leader reiterated Ottawa’s opposition to Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, violence by settlers, and attacks against Palestinian civilians, underscoring growing tensions between Canada and Israel over the conduct of the Gaza conflict and related humanitarian issues.
The latest intervention follows allegations by organizers of an international aid flotilla that activists detained by Israeli authorities after attempting to deliver assistance to Gaza were subjected to mistreatment while in custody. Organizers said several detainees required hospitalization for injuries and alleged that at least 15 activists reported sexual assaults, including rape.
Israel’s prison service has denied the allegations.
While Carney had already criticized Israel’s handling of the flotilla incident last week, Monday’s statement represented a broader condemnation and reflected the increasingly strained nature of bilateral relations.
The Israeli embassy in Ottawa did not immediately comment on Carney’s latest remarks.
Separately, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said she spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and informed him that Canada would provide evidence related to the alleged mistreatment of Canadian citizens detained during the operation.
Anand said she raised concerns over what Ottawa viewed as a denial of consular access to detained Canadians, arguing that such actions violated obligations under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
“I raised that denying Canadian citizens access to consular services while they were detained violates the Vienna Convention and must never happen again,” Anand said in a statement posted on social media.
Saar rejected the criticism and said he had told Anand that participants in the flotilla had been motivated by support for Hamas. He also raised concerns about what he described as a rise in antisemitic incidents in Canada and called on Canadian authorities to take stronger action against antisemitic violence and incitement.
The dispute has added to mounting diplomatic friction between the two countries. Israel’s ambassador to Canada recently told Canadian media that bilateral government-to-government relations had deteriorated to their lowest point on record.
The episode highlights widening differences between Israel and several traditional Western partners over the conduct of the Gaza war, humanitarian access to the territory and the treatment of foreign nationals involved in aid initiatives linked to the conflict.
