Criticism of Israel , Anti-Zionism and Antisemitism: The Nuanced Reality
Since the horrific Hamas attack on October 7, a veritable firestorm of debate has erupted around antisemitism. This whirlwind has highlighted yet also obscured the vital distinctions between legitimate criticism of Israel and Zionism, and outright antisemitism. Political figures such as Benjamin Netanyahu, along with his supporters, have stifled criticism of his policies against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, often by calling it antisemitic or anti-Zionist. This has helped intensify oversimplification and confusion.
The Canadian Landscape of Antisemitism
In Canada, statistics weave a complex tapestry of attitudes regarding antisemitism. Following October 7, Canada witnessed an extraordinary spike in anti-Israel, anti-Zionist and antisemitic occurrences, affecting many Canadian Jews. Despite being only about 1% of the population, Canadian Jews have borne the brunt of religious hate crimes. In 2024, a staggering 920 antisemitic incidents were recorded by Statistics Canada, accounting for 68% of all religious hate crimes. Viewed against the historical backdrop, these crimes have nearly tripled since 2020. B’nai Brith Canada has reported a jaw-dropping 6,219 antisemitic incidents, more than double the figures from 2020. Most of these incidents manifested as online harassment.
The disparity between the numbers reported by B’nai Brith and Statistics Canada is noteworthy. The former employs a broader definition of antisemitism established by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), while the latter focuses solely on legally defined religious hate crimes in Canada.
Definitions and Controversies about Antisemitism
Canada, along with most Western nations, has adopted the IHRA guidelines on antisemitism, which have become the most widely accepted non-legal definition of antisemitism in the world. It asserts, for example, that blaming Jews for Israel’s policies or denying their right to self-determination constitutes antisemitism. However, the IHRA definition stipulates that criticism of Israel, akin to that aimed at any democratic nation, cannot be considered antisemitic. Critics contend that the IHRA framework is overly restrictive and muddled, inviting varying interpretations that escalate into controversy.
Enter the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism, an alternative proposed by scholars. Proponents argue it offers a broader, more reasonable definition, asserting that opposition to Zionism, defined as opposition to Israel as a Jewish state and the Jewish right to self-determination, should not automatically be branded as antisemitic. The declaration suggests that critiques of Zionism, which might propose alternative constitutional frameworks for Jews and Palestinians, like a one-state democracy, should be acceptable as long as they stay within the bounds of “reasonable” discourse. However, it notably falls short of defining “reasonable” discourse and drawing a clear red line between constructive critiques and those inciting hate, violence or discrimination against Jews.
Despite the Canadian government endorsing the IHRA framework, anti-Zionism incidents remain untouched by current Canadian crime laws. This distinction is crucial: While antisemitism faces condemnation, certain violent manifestations of anti-Zionism slip through the legal cracks.
Academic Research and Public Sentiment in Canada
Robert Brym’s 2024 survey research reveals that the Canadian population largely retains a favourable view of Jews, effectively countering the alarmist rhetoric in some circles. Approximately 83% of Canadians express positive attitudes toward Jews. Yet, negative attitudes of Canadians toward Israel are significantly stronger than those directed toward Jews. This shows the lack of a strong relationship between antisemitic and anti-Israel sentiments in the general Canadian population.
Brym’s 2024 research highlights specific demographics where beliefs lean towards stark antisemitic sentiments, particularly among Muslims, followed far behind by non-Jewish university students and Francophone Quebecers. Those expressing the most adverse views of Israel and Zionism predominantly hail from Muslim and far-left activist groups. Interestingly, among Muslim respondents with opinions, attitudes about Zionism are almost equally divided between those accepting that “Jews should have their own state in Israel” (48%) vs those opposed (52%). This contrasts sharply with the robust majority of non-Canadian Jews—77% of respondents with an opinion—favouring the existence of a Jewish state.
Brym’s 2025 research found a moderate correlation between negative attitudes towards Jews and broader racist sentiments in the Canadian population. Those with such attitudes tend to lean rightward, be Francophone Quebecers, young and lack personal connections with Jews. Francophone Quebec, known for its secularism, harbours systematically less favourable views of religion than other regions in Canada. Surprisingly, as noted by Brym’s 2025 research, Muslim respondents do not have negative attitudes toward Jews, which is the opposite conclusion of Brym’s 2024 study[1]. The more recent research underscores the importance of personal relationships. For example, Muslim respondents with positive interactions with Jewish individuals often are less prejudiced, showcasing the potential of interpersonal connections to reshape intergroup perceptions. The same logic applies to Jewish respondents.
The Polarized Landscape of Jewish Identity
While many leftist voices critique Israeli policies through the lens of human rights and justice, this critique can ebb into antisemitism when it intersects with fervent anti-Israel sentiment and negative portrayals of Jews. Post-October 7, the term “Zionist” has increasingly acquired a pejorative tone even among many Canadian Jews because they are bombarded with news from social media, in particular, accusing Israel of being a criminal, apartheid and genocidal state. Canadian Jews overwhelmingly support Israel (94%) but hesitate to call themselves ‘Zionists’(49%). Brym found that the percentage of Canadian Jews who do not support the existence of Israel as a state is minuscule, that is 1% of the population. This is a clear case where the word Zionist is misleading and has been misused by groups opposed to the existence of a Jewish state.
The significance of preserving the existence of Israel as a core part of Canadian Jewish identity cannot be overstated. This is why a considerable majority of Canadian Jews perceive extreme anti-Israel and anti-Zionist rhetoric as inherently antisemitic.
However, staunch support for Israel from Canadian Jews does not translate into a blank cheque for Netanyahu’s policies of occupation, de facto annexation, or settler violence. A slight majority of Canadian Jews support the creation of an independent Palestinian state and oppose the expansion of Israeli settlements. A strong majority would support a Palestinian state if the solution were accompanied by a regional security agreement with Arab moderate states. This shows that one can be both a Canadian Zionist Jew and a supporter of a Palestinian state.
A Call for Legal Action
As Canada grapples with a troubling resurgence in hate-motivated offences against Jews, a pressing need emerges to clarify the distinctions between anti-Zionism, antisemitism, and criticism of Israel. Recent legislative efforts, such as the proposed Bill C-9 (the Combating Hate Act), strive to combat hate more effectively by making it easier to fight crimes motivated by hatred toward identifiable groups. If this bill garners support from both the Canadian population, Canadian Jewish organizations and groups advocating for freedom of expression, it might foster a healthier social climate—one that respects reasonable dissent while heightening the protection of all Canadian groups from hate.
[1] The 2025 study used more solid methodologies, such as regression and factor analyses, than the simpler correlation analysis used in the 2024 study.
