As Israelis await the formation of their next government following this week’s election, the Canadian government has an opportunity to rebuild trust and pursue a practical partnership with Israel rooted in shared strategic interests.
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government → await → interests
It rests on nearly 80 years of diplomatic relations, 30 years of free trade and deep people-to-people ties.
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It → rest → people
For Jewish Canadians, this relationship has particular significance because Israel is deeply important to our history, culture and identity.
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Israel → have → history
Across Canada, diaspora communities maintain deep connections to the countries from which their families and traditions originate.
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families → maintain → which
Prime Minister Mark Carney captured this sentiment during a visit to Mayo, Ireland, in June, where his paternal grandfather was born.
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grandfather → capture → June
He opened his remarks saying, “it’s great to be back home,” reflecting on thousands of years of Irish history and civilization, and “the county that made my family.”
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that → open → family
Carney spoke of the Irish immigrants who helped build Canada and make it a place where faith, language, heritage and tradition are not concessions to citizenship, but expressions of it, calling Canada “a country of kept threads.”
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faith → speak → threads
Reflecting on his grandparent’s immigration, the Prime Minister noted that Canada “didn’t require them to become something unrecognizable to themselves in order to belong.”
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Canada → reflect → themselves
Just as Canadians of Irish descent take pride in their heritage and draw inspiration from the birthplace of their ancestors, Jewish Canadians do so with Israel.
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Canadians → take → Israel
Yet, this identity that should be welcomed and celebrated is increasingly and uniquely becoming a source of suspicion, discrimination and violence.
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that → welcome → suspicion
A strong Canada-Israel relationship, like Canada’s relationship with Ireland and other countries with which Canadians share deep historical and cultural ties, affirms that Jewish Canadians holding onto this thread of their identity is entirely compatible with full and equal Canadian citizenship.
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Canadians → share → citizenship
A renewed partnership would also advance the Government of Canada’s objectives internationally in contributing to peace in the Middle East and boosting resilience at home.
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partnership → renew → home
In a world marked by rupture, Canada is seeking partnerships in trade, energy and security that strengthen our strategic autonomy.
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that → mark → autonomy
Prime Minister Carney has noted that this requires expanding influence in strategically important regions and prioritizing engagement over lecturing from afar – even when dealing with countries with which Canada has profound disagreements.
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Canada → note → disagreements
As the Prime Minister said in Turkey last week, “engagement is not approval.”
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engagement → say → Turkey
This standard that guides Canada’s relations with Turkey, Qatar, India and other countries should apply to Israel as well.
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that → guide → Israel
Consistency is essential if Canada wants to be a credible and effective partner in advancing peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
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Canada → want → Israelis
A functioning bilateral relationship gives the Canadian government access to Israeli decisionmakers and a direct channel to raise difficult questions.
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relationship → function → questions
By not engaging Israel’s next government, Canada would risk surrendering influence over decisions that directly affect regional peace and security.
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that → engage → peace
It also risks undermining its own efforts to support the institutions and conditions necessary for Palestinian statehood.
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It → risk → statehood
Any future Palestinian state must be viable, accountable and capable of delivering stability, rather than becoming another failed state or terrorist state in the Middle East.
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state → deliver → East
Against this backdrop, the lack of accountability following Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s reported agreement with Islamic Jihad and Hamas to postpone general elections is particularly concerning.
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lack → follow → elections
If Palestinian leaders face no meaningful consequences for abandoning their commitments, what incentive do they have to implement the reforms Canada itself considers essential to lasting peace and stability?
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Canada → face → peace
The case for a reset extends beyond diplomatic influence.
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case → extend → influence
Israel has built substantial partnerships in defence, intelligence, cybersecurity and advanced technology with countries that do not necessarily share its positions on every political issue, including its Arab neighbours.
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that → build → neighbours
These relationships reinforce that disagreements need not prevent cooperation where strategic and economic interests align.
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interests → reinforce → cooperation
India and Israel are expanding cooperation in areas ranging from cybersecurity and defence to agricultural innovation, an area in which Canada is also deepening its ties with India.
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Canada → expand → India
The United Arab Emirates has established free trade agreements with both Israel and Canada, illustrating the potential for shared economic interests to create opportunities across multiple partnerships.
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interests → establish → partnerships
Germany’s strategic partnership with Israel offers another relevant example.
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partnership → offer → example
Their cooperation includes submarine technology and the production of Iron Dome components at a former Volkswagen plant.
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cooperation → include → plant
This experience has potential relevance for Canada’s Canadian Patrol Submarine Project and its new Defence Industrial Strategy.
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experience → have → Project
Meanwhile in North America, Israel is working with Mexico to share expertise in water management and agricultural resilience, both critical to a country facing severe drought and growing pressure on its water resources.
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Israel → work → resources
Israel’s expertise in security, agriculture, energy and technology could help Canada strengthen its strategic autonomy while better protecting Canadians’ security and interests.
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Canada → help → security
As the Prime Minister has said, “part of the way we become a truly sovereign nation is to have a broad range of partnerships around the world.”
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we → say → world
The Aporia
