Prejudice Towards Israelis Palestinians and Iranians in Canada

March 20, 2026

A majority of Canadians believe Israelis, Palestinians, and Iranians are likely to experience prejudice or hate in Canada, with Israelis perceived as somewhat more likely to face such treatment. A survey commissioned by the Association for Canadian Studies by the firm Leger reveal that nationally some 63% say Israelis are very or somewhat likely to encounter prejudice or hate, compared with 59% for Palestinians and 58% for Iranians. Perceptions vary across demographic groups: older Canadians are more likely than younger ones to believe these groups regularly encounter prejudice, while Quebec respondents are somewhat more likely than those in other regions to see Israelis as targets of prejudice. Canadian-born respondents are also more likely than immigrants to believe these groups face prejudice/hate. Overall, the findings suggest broad recognition among Canadians that multiple Middle Eastern–origin groups experience discrimination, with Israelis viewed as slightly more vulnerable. The findings are based on surveys conducted via web panel by the firm Leger for the Association for Canadian Studies between March 6 to 8, 2026 with 1579 Canadians. While no margin of error can be associated with a non-probability sample of 1579 respondents would have a margin of error of ±2.52%, 19 times out of 20