‘Scary rise’ in antisemitism in Canada since Hamas attack on Israel: Trudeau – National | 24CA News
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday cited a marked rise in antisemitism in Canada following Palestinian Islamist group Hamas’ assault on Israel and Israel’s subsequent lethal air strikes in Gaza.
“Since this conflict broke out, there has been a very scary rise of antisemitism here at home,” Trudeau mentioned at a convention on combating antisemitism. Even previous to the continuing battle, he mentioned, there had been a “steady rise” in antisemitism.
Trudeau listed studies of a doable hate crime at a Jewish highschool in Toronto final week, fears amongst a few of visiting synagogues because of a chance of being attacked, and heated on-line rhetoric, as examples of the rising antisemitism in Canada.
Police in Toronto, Canada’s largest metropolis, mentioned they arrested three males on Thursday after they made threats on the Community Hebrew Academy. Police have elevated patrols in Jewish cultural facilities and synagogues in addition to Muslim mosques and different locations of worship.
The Canadian prime minister additionally condemned Hamas and mentioned he supported Israel’s proper to self-defense, whereas drawing a powerful line between Hamas and pro-Palestinian voices.
“Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people, nor their legitimate aspirations. They do not speak for Muslim or Arab communities, and they do not represent the better futures that Palestinians or their children deserve,” Trudeau mentioned.
A Hamas Oct. 7 rampage on southern Israeli communities left 1,300 folks lifeless, and round 200 have been taken into Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip as hostages.
Since then, Israel has bombarded Gaza the place well being authorities mentioned not less than 3,000 folks have been killed. A hospital assault on Tuesday killed 500 Palestinians, with Israeli and Palestinian officers blaming one another.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Leslie Adler)
