Israeli Foreign Minister Condemns ‘Appalling’ Assault on Jewish Father in Montreal

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has sharply condemned what he described as an “appalling” antisemitic assault on a 32-year-old Jewish man in Montreal, calling on Canada to take stronger action against such hatred, The Times of Israel reported.

The incident, which took place Friday in Montreal’s Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough, was captured on video and shared widely on social media. In the footage, an assailant can be seen beating the man — dressed in ultra-Orthodox attire — as he clutches his two young daughters. Montreal Police told The Times of Israel that the victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

“This is appalling,” Sa’ar wrote on X, formerly Twitter, describing the images as “shocking and stomach-turning,” according to The Times of Israel. He added, “These are images reminiscent of dark periods of Jewish persecution. The Canadian government must do more to fight antisemitism!”

Police said earlier Saturday that the motive for the attack remains unclear, The Times of Israel reported. Authorities are continuing their investigation.

The incident shown in this video is shocking and stomach-turning.
A Jewish father was beaten in front of his daughter in Montreal, Canada, yesterday.
These are images reminiscent of dark periods of Jewish persecution.
This is appalling.
The Canadian government must do more to… pic.twitter.com/6whsYit19W

— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) August 9, 2025

In his statement, Sa’ar stressed the need for decisive measures, saying the video was a disturbing reminder of historic patterns of antisemitic violence. He urged the Canadian government to act with urgency, The Times of Israel noted.