'The hate must be stopped': Israeli envoy slams antisemitic incidents in Montreal

Israeli Ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed warned on Sunday that a series of antisemitic incidents in Montreal over the weekend, including a fire that destroyed a Jewish restaurant, could be leading up to something worse.

“The hate must be stopped before it transforms into something lethal,” he wrote on X, adding that Israel stands ready to help combat antisemitism in all its forms.

A popular kosher restaurant in Montreal’s Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood was destroyed early on Saturday in a fire police are investigating as possible arson. The incident is the latest in a series that is raising concern about rising antisemitism in Canada. The Montreal Gazette reported that video footage shows a single suspect setting the blaze that consumed Nöam Restaurant.

Moed noted that anti-Israel chants were heard during a recent soccer match, and that an Israeli player was targeted with thrown objects, including cans and lighters. Striker Dor Turgeman of the New England Revolution and the Israel national team was targeted with chants of “Death to Israel” from sections of the CF Montréal crowd during Saturday night’s match at Saputo Stadium, according to witnesses and Jewish advocacy groups.

Turgeman responded by scoring in the first half but was later shoved to the ground by Montreal goalkeeper Sébastian Breza, who received a yellow card.

U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra on Sunday called the suspected arson attack “tragic.” He urged Canadian leaders to “actively work to protect and bolster the Jewish community,” citing security concerns following the blaze, and thanked the more than 80 firefighters whose quick response helped contain the fire.

CF Montréal said it was investigating “discriminatory comments directed at a player by fans,” and that hateful behavior has “no place” at its stadium, without naming Turgeman or specifying antisemitism. The club said it is working with Major League Soccer and the Revolution to determine what occurred and “take the necessary actions.”

Jewish groups, including the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, condemned the chants as incitement to hatred and urged CF Montréal and authorities to identify and sanction those responsible. They said the incident reflects a broader pattern of antisemitic and extremist activity in Montreal since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel.

In a separate incident on Sunday, a visibly Jewish person was assaulted in Montreal’s Outremont borough in what community groups described as an antisemitic attack.

Federation CJA said the incident began with verbal abuse and antisemitic slurs before escalating into a physical assault, adding that Montreal police quickly arrested a suspect.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs’ Quebec office said the gravity of the assault was “undeniable,” and urged authorities to prosecute to the full extent of the law, pledging to monitor the investigation with Federation CJA. Israël à Montréal and Israel’s consulate for Quebec and Atlantic Canada called the attack part of a “disturbing and growing pattern” of antisemitic incidents in Montreal and across the country.

Jewish advocacy groups have warned of rising anti-Jewish harassment and violence in the city following a series of recent attacks targeting Chassidic Jews in Outremont. Federation CJA urged residents to remain vigilant and to report suspicious or hate-motivated incidents to police and community security hotlines.

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