By Iran Review
Montreal, Canada – A former United Nations special rapporteur who previously investigated Israeli violations against Palestinians says he was subjected to a “national security”-related interrogation by Canadian authorities during his travel to the country this week for a Gaza-focused event.
Richard Falk, a 95-year-old international law scholar from the United States, told Al Jazeera that he and his wife, fellow legal expert Hilal Elver, were questioned on Thursday at Toronto Pearson International Airport. “A security officer approached and said, ‘We’ve detained both of you because we’re concerned you present a national security threat to Canada,’” Falk recounted on Saturday from Ottawa. “In all my years, this was the first time I’ve ever had such an experience.”
The couple, both American citizens, had travelled to Ottawa to participate in the Palestine Tribunal on Canadian Responsibility, a two-day gathering of global human rights and legal specialists examining Canada’s involvement in Israel’s two-year military campaign in Gaza. That campaign has been described as genocide by a UN commission and multiple rights organisations.
Falk said he and Elver were held for more than four hours and questioned about their research on Israel, Gaza, and issues relating to genocide. He described the process as neither hostile nor confrontational, but rather “random and disorganised”. Still, he believes the incident reflects a broader international climate aimed at silencing those who attempt to “tell the truth” about Gaza. “It signals a level of government insecurity,” he added, “an effort to suppress dissenting voices.”
Canadian senator ‘appalled’
When asked about Falk’s detention, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) said privacy laws prevent discussion of specific cases. The agency’s role, spokesperson Rebecca Purdy explained in an email, is to evaluate the “security risk and admissibility” of travellers entering Canada. She noted that both citizens and foreign nationals may be referred for secondary screening, calling it a routine part of border operations that “should not be seen as an indication of wrongdoing”.
Global Affairs Canada did not immediately respond to questions regarding Falk’s claim that his interrogation was part of a wider international effort to clamp down on critics of Israel’s war in Gaza.
Canadian Senator Yuen Pau Woo, who attended the tribunal, condemned the decision to question the two scholars on the basis that they could pose a national security threat. “We know why they were here: to participate in the Palestine Tribunal. We know they have openly documented and highlighted the atrocities committed in Gaza by Israel and have advocated for justice,” Woo told Al Jazeera on Saturday. “If those positions were the grounds for their detention, then it implies the Canadian government views seeking justice for Palestine as a national security risk — and I want to understand why.”
Canada’s role in Israel’s war
Canada, like many Western states, faces rising domestic pressure to end its long-standing support for Israel as the Israeli assault on Gaza has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and created a catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
In 2024, Ottawa announced a freeze on new arms export permits to Israel amid growing outcry. However, researchers and rights advocates argue that gaps in the export system have enabled Canadian-made weapons to continue reaching Israel — often routed indirectly through the United States.
Human rights groups have also urged the Canadian government to take stronger action in ensuring Israel faces accountability for violations against Palestinians, including potential war crimes. “This violence is ongoing; the bombs have not stopped,” said Rachel Small, Canada organiser for the antiwar group World Beyond War, during the tribunal’s closing session. “And none of this — none of Israel’s genocide — could occur without a steady flow of weapons from the U.S., from Europe, and certainly from Canada.”
Since a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was implemented last month, at least 260 Palestinians have been killed in continued Israeli strikes on Gaza, according to local health officials. Palestinian civilians also remain in dire conditions, deprived of adequate food, clean water, medical supplies and functional shelter as Israel maintains tight restrictions on humanitarian aid entering the enclave.
Against this backdrop, Falk stressed on Saturday that it is “more urgent than ever” to expose the realities unfolding on the ground. “There is this false perception that the genocide has ended,” he said. “[Israel] is continuing its genocidal campaign, but in a less overt or less intense manner. Some have referred to it as an incremental genocide.”
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