OTTAWA, May 25 - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday told Israeli President Isaac Herzog that the treatment of activists detained by Israel had been "appalling" and described the situation in Gaza as "catastrophic," according to a statement from the prime minister's office.
The office said the prime minister "reiterated that the appalling treatment of civilians, including Canadian citizens, aboard the Gaza-bound flotilla was unacceptable, and he called for an independent investigation." The statement added that Carney reaffirmed Canada’s opposition to illegal Israeli settlement expansion, settler violence in the West Bank, and violence against Palestinian civilians.
Carney’s expanded condemnation on Monday followed earlier remarks last week in which he denounced Israel’s handling of the flotilla members. The broader language on Monday underscored the degree to which ties between Israel and some of its closest allies have become strained.
The Israeli embassy in Ottawa was not immediately available for comment.
Organizers of the Gaza-bound flotilla said activists who were released after being detained by Israeli authorities were subjected to abuse. They reported that several detainees were hospitalized with injuries and that at least 15 people reported sexual assaults, including rape. Israel’s prison service denied those allegations.
In comments reported last week, Israel’s ambassador to Canada described bilateral government-to-government relations as the worst they had ever been.
Separately, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said she had spoken on Monday with her Israeli counterpart, Gideon Saar, and informed him that Ottawa would provide Israel with evidence regarding the mistreatment of Canadians detained on the flotilla.
"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 post on X.
Gideon Saar, in his own post on X, said he had told Anand the activists had been inspired by Hamas. He also said he had highlighted what he described as a "horrific antisemitic wave in Canada - an average of 19 incidents a day," and urged that the Canadian government take steps against antisemitic incitement and attacks.
The developments reflect competing accounts: Canadian leaders and flotilla organizers reporting abuse and denied consular access, and Israeli officials denying the abuse allegations while characterizing the activists as linked to Hamas and drawing attention to antisemitic incidents in Canada. The differing narratives have coincided with public statements from senior officials on both sides and with descriptions of significantly strained bilateral relations.