Global Affairs Canada (GAC) said Israel might detain Canadians who criticize it on social media, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. “Clashes between Palestinians and extremist Israeli settlers in the West Bank are growing,” said GAC in a travel advisory. “There are reports of civilians being physically attacked and forced under threat to leave their houses, evacuate specific areas and being subject to increased scrutiny and arrests by security forces.”GAC acknowledged criticizing Israel was risky and could lead to arbitrary detention of Canadian citizens. If people are in a Palestinian-plated vehicle, it said they are at risk of increased scrutiny, searches of electronic devices, violence and arrest by Israeli officials. “If Israeli authorities perceive your social media activity as being critical of Israel, you could face additional consequences, including further searches and detention,” it said. “Hostilities persist and military operations are expected to continue.”Cabinet permits the Canada Border Services Agency to search smartphones, tablets and other devices held by cross-border travellers. Failure to surrender passwords is punishable by confiscation of mobile devices under the Customs Act. GAC gave no example of any Canadian being taken into custody by Israeli authorities over social media posts. It called the situation in south and central Israel and the Gaza Strip “very volatile and unpredictable.”While these areas were risky, it warned Canadians to stay out of Lebanon and exercise caution in Egypt and Jordan. “Terrorist attacks could occur at any time,” it said.GAC often updates risk levels for Canadians travelling to other countries. Levels range from avoid all travel to Haiti, North Korea and Iran to take normal security precautions in the United States, New Zealand and Liechtenstein. “As someone who has had the real privilege of serving as Canada’s foreign minister, I know our travel advisories are done very professionally,” said Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland. Freeland said cabinet “put at the centre of everything we do the interests and the safety of every single Canadian.” “We have professionals in the government whose job is to look carefully around the world and monitor whether there are particular dangers to particular groups of Canadians,” she said. “That is their job, and it is the right thing to do.”This ordeal comes after Freeland said in August the Canadian government warned members of sexual minority communities about going to the US because it cares about their safety. READ MORE: Freeland defends U.S. travel advisory for sexual minoritiesHowever, she did not mention any particular threats.“Every Canadian government — very much including our government — needs to put at the centre of everything we do the interests and the safety of every single Canadian and every single group of Canadians,” she said.
