The Canadian government issued a statement on July 29 opposing Israel's expansion of settlements in the West Bank, where settlers have carried out violent attacks on Palestinian communities.
The statement from Global Affairs Canada emphasized that Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory are illegal under international law. This expansion coincides with a wave of escalating violence in the West Bank.
The United Nations recorded 76 Palestinian deaths in settler attacks since the start of 2026.
Canada called for: “Halting the expansion of Israeli settlements, respecting international humanitarian law, protecting civilians, and de-escalating tensions.”
Earlier, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) also condemned the settlement expansion plan, calling it an “alarming” act as Israeli leaders call for revenge and collective punishment of Palestinians.
According to UN statistics, the first four months of 2026 saw an average of about 190 settler attacks per month. At this rate, the number could reach 2,000 by year-end, surpassing the 1,835 attacks recorded in 2025.
Israel's Foreign Ministry immediately responded, accusing Canada of “encouraging terrorism.” In its statement, Israel claimed that “a wave of Palestinian terrorism is sweeping through Judea and Samaria,” its term for the West Bank, and argued that Canada was wrong to “focus not on the terrorists but on condemning Israel.”
Attacks on Palestinian communities have increased following an incident last week when a Palestinian in the village of Tal grabbed a settler's gun and shot him dead. Israel and settlers view this as a terrorist act and a pretext for widespread crackdowns.
Israel and Canada have clashed over this issue before, but critics note that Ottawa rarely takes concrete action to pressure Israel. In December 2025, Israel barred six Canadian lawmakers from entering the West Bank, citing a “threat to public safety.”
