Avi Benlolo: Sanctions against Israeli settlements expose the deep rot in Ottawa

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeNP Comment Avi Benlolo: Sanctions against Israeli settlements expose the deep rot in Ottawa The government is going against its own trade agreement with Israel and showing a profound misunderstanding of international law Author of the article: By Avi Benlolo Published Sep 11, 2026 Last updated 1 hour ago 3 minute read Join the conversation Prime Minister Mark Carney, right, and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand. PHOTO BY DAVE CHAN/AFP Article content There is a deep rot in this country. In the middle of a trade war with our greatest ally, the United States, our government has also initiated another trade war — this time with one of its historically closest allies in the Middle East, Israel. On Tuesday, the Government of Canada announced, through a series of statements, that it will impose trade restrictions on so-called Israeli settlements. In other words, on Jews. Article content Article content Canada’s government is failing to work diplomatically, bilaterally and professionally. Instead, it is blowing up decades of positive relations with Israel. This is negligence. Alongside a joint statement issued by Canada, the United Kingdom and several other European countries, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand stated on social media that, “In the coming months, we will introduce restrictions on trade in goods with settlements in the West Bank that are illegal under international law.” Article content RECOMMENDED VIDEOS Article content Right? The National Post newsletter that doesn’t hold back, giving readers the unvarnished truth on media, politics and culture. Sign Up By signing up, you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content But wait, there’s more ridiculousness. As if Anand’s statement wasn’t clear enough in its attack on the one and only Jewish state, Prime Minister Mark Carney, along with his counterparts in Britain and France, also directed fire at Israel using stronger language: “Canada, France and the U.K. will therefore take steps to ban the importation of goods from settlements and enforce targeted measures against settlements.” Article content Any casual observer must inquire as to why is our government is relentlessly and disproportionately picking on Israel. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition…