Government records list 1,524 Canadian citizens active in Israeli occupation forces, against about 680 Jewish CAF personnel; 54% favor criminalizing foreign service

Government records from Israel and Canada list 1,524 Canadian citizens as active in the Israeli occupation forces in March 2025, compared with an estimated 680 Jewish personnel in the regular Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), according to a Canadian demographic publication issued in March 2026. The latter figure represented about 1% of total active military personnel, while the Israeli forces figure was more than double the Canadian estimate.

Cross-referenced with demographic baselines, the figures suggest significantly more dual-national citizens chose to deploy with foreign occupation units than to serve in their own national military.

Canadian law permits citizens to enlist in foreign militaries if the state is not actively fighting a Canadian ally. A national opinion survey commissioned in March 2026 found that 54% of Canadians support criminalizing Canadian citizens’ military service in foreign states.

Investigative reporting by The Maple says mainstream institutions across Canada, including private religious schools and community organizations, frequently valorize service in the Israeli military and encourage youth recruitment.