Israel halts trade in advanced, safe AI to Canada amid diplomatic tensions – national
Israel offers itself to Canada as a technology partner that can provide concrete solutions and safe artificial intelligence, despite the difficult problems in bilateral relations with wars and conflicts in the Middle East.
“Canada and Israel are both countries looking to export technology, open new markets and solve problems elsewhere,” Israeli Ambassador Iddo Moed told The Canadian Press.
Moed said his country's relationship with Canada is at its lowest point in nearly 80 years of relations. Canada accuses Israel of violating international law, while Israel says Ottawa is taking steps that undermine the prospects for peace.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has not called or met officially with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing an arrest warrant from the International Court of Justice.
Carney accused the Netanyahu government of failing to prevent a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip by repeatedly restricting the delivery of vital aid to the Palestinian people. Foreign Minister Anita Anand said in May that Israel's mistreatment of Canadians who took part in a flotilla trying to reach Gaza violated the Vienna Convention.
Israel says Canada is undermining peace in the region with its growing criticism of the country, its withdrawal of support from United Nations votes and its formal recognition of the State of Palestine.
Moed said he still believes the Carney government has some interest in working with Israel on AI and that this could involve companies working together to strengthen defenses against cyberattacks. He said Israeli technology companies can help Canadian municipalities use data to better manage traffic on the roads.
Moed said Israeli companies are also looking to work with Canada on the Israeli home hospital concept, which involves monitoring patients with acute or chronic needs through wearable devices and video calls. Israeli firms have run hospital pilot projects at home in Europe and the US, and are interested in doing the same in the Canadian provinces, he said.
“Many times, Israelis take the lead in finding quick solutions to big problems,” Moed said.
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He pointed out that Israel's technology sector is in line with the Carney administration's focus on economic productivity. He said both countries have a “tradition of innovation” but Israel is more focused on translating research into economically viable startups.
His embassy is trying to connect companies in both countries in the hope that Israeli innovation can benefit more Canadians and access to markets in the US – as Washington raises the continent's trade.
“We are working on a kind of digital network or virtual community that will bring together experts in any area, in cyber and AI, cutting across many sectors (such as) agriculture, telecommunications, transportation, aviation,” said Moed.
AI Minister Evan Solomon met with Moed in January to discuss possible cooperation with Israel. The minister appeared to acknowledge the state of Canada-Israel relations at the time.
“Issues to discuss, especially in difficult times,” Solomon wrote on social media about the meeting.
Not all Canadian politicians are as open as Israel.
Earlier this month, Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi apologized after taking a photo with Moed at the Calgary Stampede, saying it “caused a lot of damage to a lot of people.”
The photo was taken when Moed accompanied the Israeli technical team.
Citing Israel's “indiscriminate” attack on Gaza and the attack on Lebanon, Nenshi said he regrets taking the photo – especially since the ambassador posted it on social media with a message equating support for Israel with support for democracy and human rights.
The ambassador later said that Nenshi's apology allowed “hatred to flare up and grow in an environment built on hospitality.”
Moed's pitch to Canada also includes the safe use of AI.
Ottawa has been seeking to monitor how artificial intelligence is designed and used since at least 2018, when it was one of the topics Canada focused on at the G7 summit in Charlevoix, Que.
At an event in April ahead of Israel's national day, Moed focused on what he said were attempts to “reprogram the algorithms” of social media “so that the world is once again addicted to anti-Semitism.”
He said countries can work together to eliminate hateful content from AI services.
“We're offering here in Canada all kinds of ideas and working together, to find new ways to deal with this,” he told The Canadian Press.
Yes, it's not just about the Jews, but it's about spreading hatred and actually inciting violence.”
Moed did not choose a specific platform. Social media site X has seen an increase in anti-Semitic rhetoric and anti-Semitic influence since it was taken over by billionaire Elon Musk, according to the US-based Center for Counting Digital Hate.
Musk himself made a gesture that many interpreted as a Nazi salute at a meeting to celebrate the second inauguration of US President Donald Trump, although he denied that it was so.
Facebook's parent company Meta has also seen its AI chatbots echoing racist and antisemitic conspiracy theories.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
