Jewish group accuses Ottawa of ‘double standard’ in criticism of Israel

A major Jewish lobby group is accusing the Carney government of maintaining a “double standard” by condemning Israel’s large-scale detention of Palestinians but not repression by brutal dictatorships.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs made the comment in response to a joint statement by Canada and European nations raising the alarm over the 9,000 Palestinians detained by Israel, often without trial.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Mark Carney said that renewing ties with Saudi Arabia and Turkey involves bringing up human rights concerns privately, instead of “lecturing countries from afar.” Both Saudi Arabia and Turkey have a history of violently repressing minorities and journalists.

“Less than two weeks later, Global Affairs Canada is publicly lecturing Israel about its detention of individuals responsible for acts of terror,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs wrote.

It suggested the department is either unaware of Carney’s remarks or is displaying “another example of a double standard when it comes to Israel.”

In the statement issued Monday, Canada joined the European Union and countries such as the U.K. and France in expressing concern about the plight of prominent Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safiya, whose lawyer says he is in critical condition after being detained by Israel for 18 months.

Israeli officials claim Abu Safiya has terror ties but they have not charged him.

The joint statement urged Israel to follow its own Supreme Court ruling and stop blocking the Red Cross from accessing Palestinian detainees.

“Human rights organizations describe prison conditions for Palestinians as severe and life-threatening, citing inadequate food, denial of medical care and systematic abuse,” the statement reads.

Israel rejects claims it is systemically mistreating prisoners from the Palestinian territories it occupies, despite widespread reports by human rights groups those prisoners are subject to abuse and sexual assault.

Israel’s delegation to the United Nations has pushed back on a decision this spring by UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ office to add Israel to a blacklist of countries and entities which commit sexual violence in warzones.

Israel’s prisons are overseen by far-right Public Safety Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who was sanctioned by Canada last year. He has repeatedly boasted about imposing harsher conditions on Palestinian detainees and prisoners.

Ben-Gvir attracted global outrage back in May for taunting handcuffed foreign activists taking part in a flotilla protest aimed at drawing attention to the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli government said his actions did not represent the state’s values but has kept him in the role.

By Dylan Robertson