OTTAWA — Israel’s ambassador to Canada said Monday that formal dialogue between Jerusalem and Ottawa has worsened since Prime Minister Mark Carney took office and suggested Ottawa’s public “hard line” on Gaza is a key reason Canada’s leader has yet to speak by phone with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Since the government of Carney came into place, the level of dialogue between the two countries slowly but surely deteriorated,” Ambassador Iddo Moed told The Canadian Press in an interview. He said Israeli officials have sought consultations with Canadian counterparts on Gaza and Palestinian statehood but have been unable to secure substantive engagement.
Moed linked the chill in relations to a series of public Canadian positions that Israel views as hostile. Ottawa in recent months has criticized parts of Israel’s Gaza operations and recognized Palestinian statehood, a shift that Israeli officials say complicates routine diplomatic ties. Moed said those developments have reduced opportunities for candid, confidential consultations that normally take place between close allies.
The Canadian Press asked Mr. Netanyahu’s office why the Israeli prime minister had not telephoned Mr. Carney to congratulate him on his election or to hold bilateral talks. There was no immediate response, according to the news agency.
Ottawa’s stance under Mr. Carney has included sharper public criticism of Israeli actions in Gaza than Canada’s previous government, and the government’s recognition of Palestinian statehood this year marked a notable policy shift. Canadian officials portrayed those moves as consistent with efforts to restore an international push for a two-state solution and to press for humanitarian access and accountability in a violent conflict.
The deterioration of relations has occurred amid other recent diplomatic strains. Canada summoned the Israeli ambassador in the spring after Israeli forces fired warning shots near a diplomatic delegation in the West Bank, an episode that further strained ties and prompted public exchanges between Ottawa and Jerusalem. Israeli officials later described the overall atmosphere as difficult.
Domestic Canadian reaction has been mixed. Opposition parties and some pro-Israel groups criticized Mr. Carney’s approach as needlessly confrontational and warned of political consequences with Jewish and pro-Israel voters. Other Canadian voices welcomed the government’s willingness to take a firmer public stance on civilian protection and humanitarian access in Gaza.
Within Israel, some senior figures have publicly defended outreach to Canada even as they criticized Ottawa’s policy choices. Former prime minister Ehud Olmert recently cautioned against declaring Canada an enemy of Israel and said Carney’s emphasis on a negotiated two-state outcome was defensible, remarks that underscore divisions inside Israeli political circles over how to respond to allied criticism.
Analysts say the diplomatic chill reflects both immediate policy disputes and deeper political calculations. Mr. Carney, sworn in as Canada’s prime minister in March 2025, has emphasized humanitarian concerns in Gaza and has sought to align Canada with other Western governments pressing for pauses in hostilities and expanded relief. Israel’s government, led by Mr. Netanyahu, has sharply rejected international pressure it sees as one-sided.
Ambassador Moed said Israel remains committed to managing the relationship and to seeking channels of communication, but he warned that sustained public criticism without regular diplomatic consultation risks long-term erosion of trust between allies. He urged Ottawa to pursue dialogue that balances humanitarian concerns with recognition of Israel’s security challenges.
The Canadian government has referred detailed questions about its approach to Gaza, its recognition of Palestinian statehood, and the timing of high-level contacts to its official spokespeople. In public remarks, Prime Minister Carney has defended Canada’s policy choices as consistent with a two-state solution and with international humanitarian obligations.
This article is based on verified information from The Canadian Press, Reuters, Politico, and The Globe and Mail.