A petition sponsored by a federal New Democrat MP, which urges investigations and potential criminal charges against Canadians who served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), is being condemned as an "antisemitic witch hunt" by a prominent Jewish advocacy organization.
Petition Details and Allegations
The petition, directed to the Minister of Justice and sponsored by Alberta MP and NDP leadership candidate Heather McPherson, was launched on January 7, 2026. It alleges there is "credible evidence of serious violations of international law by the IDF in the Middle East" that may involve Canadian citizens or residents.
The document calls on the federal government to take several specific actions:
- Direct the Canada Border Services Agency to screen Canadian citizens and residents returning from Israel for foreign military service.
- Issue public warnings that Canadians serving or volunteering with the IDF "may face criminal liability under Canadian law."
- Create a dedicated website to collect information from witnesses or victims of alleged war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank.
Strong Condemnation from B'nai Brith
In a sharp rebuke, B'nai Brith Canada's CEO, Simon Wolle, told the National Post that the petition unfairly targets Jewish and Zionist Canadians with unfounded accusations. "It problematically insinuates that service in the IDF necessitates a degree of culpability," Wolle stated.
Wolle emphasized that the RCMP has already conducted a structural investigation into the Israel-Hamas conflict. In a June 2025 news release, the national police force stated it had not identified any individuals who committed "core international crimes" and therefore had not opened any criminal investigations into Canadians in connection with the conflict.
"Canadian IDF veterans are no different than any other foreign veterans who have made Canada their home," Wolle argued. He characterized the petition as a "malicious attempt" to prosecute them, which he said contributes to the persecution of Jewish Canadians for their beliefs. He called on MPs to denounce it as a "baseless attempt to incite against and ostracize Canadians who support the existence of a Jewish nation state."
Context and Reaction
MP Heather McPherson did not respond to a request for comment from the National Post. However, in November 2025, she released a statement expressing concern about IDF soldiers visiting Canadian universities, accusing the institutions of "platforming" them. That statement coincided with a week where five people were arrested at an anti-Israel protest during an off-campus event hosted by Jewish students from Toronto Metropolitan University.
In her statement, McPherson said she would raise concerns with the government "that IDF soldiers are freely touring Canadian universities while the genocide continues."
One Canadian-Israeli, Shai DeLuca, who served in the IDF from 1995 to 1998, responded to the controversy with defiance. "Let me be absolutely clear: this does not make me ashamed of who I am or what I did. It does the opposite. It makes me all the more proud," said the 48-year-old designer and television expert.
The petition has ignited a fierce debate, placing the spotlight on the intersection of foreign policy, international law, and the rights of Canadian dual nationals, while raising serious allegations of antisemitism from within the country's Jewish community.
