CANADA PERSPECTIVE

Ottawa, May 20, 2026. Canadian media have extensively covered the diplomatic incident triggered by Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's National Security Minister, after he posted a video on social media showing activists from the Gaza flotilla, hands tied, faces down, being held on Israeli ships. The CBC and National Post reported that the activists were brought to the Ashdod port on Wednesday after Israel intercepted their maritime convoy attempting to break the naval blockade of Gaza.

Ben-Gvir's tone quickly fueled controversy: he publicly stated that these activists should remain in prison for 'a long, long time.' Combined with the scripted video of their detention shared by a government member, this immediately sparked reactions in several European capitals. Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy summoned Israeli ambassadors. Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten called the treatment 'dehumanizing.' Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani demanded apologies, stating that the detainees were 'subjected to a treatment that violates their dignity.' Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot denounced the fact 'that a government minister shares their humiliation on social media.'

What caught Canadian press attention was the internal fracture within the Israeli government exposed by the episode. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu distanced himself from Ben-Gvir in a statement: 'Israel has every right to prevent provocative flotillas, but the way Minister Ben-Gvir treated the activists is not in line with Israel's values and norms.' He added that he instructed the relevant authorities to 'expel the provocateurs as soon as possible.' Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar was even harsher on X, accusing Ben-Gvir of 'undermining the significant, professional, and successful efforts of many people – from Tsahal soldiers to Foreign Ministry members' in what he called an 'honest display.'

Canadian coverage places the event within a broader dynamic: an increasingly critical Europe of Israel's conduct in Gaza, faced with images directly fueling public debate in countries whose citizens were among the detainees.