In a landmark shift in its foreign policy, Canada has announced its intention to formally recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September. Prime Minister Mark Carney made the declaration, positioning Canada as the third G7 country in a matter of days, following France and the United Kingdom, to signal such a decision.
Prime Minister Carney clarified that Canada’s recognition would be conditional on the Palestinian Authority committing to institutional reform and holding democratic elections by 2026, explicitly without the participation of Hamas. “The prospect of a Palestinian state is eroding before our eyes,” Carney stated, emphasizing that his previous step-by-step strategy for a two-state solution is no longer viable.
Factors behind Canada’s decision to recognize the Palestinian state
Canada’s decision, according to Carney, is a direct response to several escalating crises:
- The intensifying humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with Carney stating, “The level of human suffering in Gaza is unbearable and is rapidly worsening.”
- The acceleration of settlement activity in the West Bank.
- The profound fallout from Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Carney confirmed he had informed Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas of the decision during a phone call.
Reactions and geopolitical implications
The announcement has triggered strong reactions. The Israeli government swiftly condemned the move, with its Foreign Ministry describing it as “rewarding Hamas” and claiming it “undermines efforts for a ceasefire and the release of hostages.” Currently, 147 of the 193 UN member states have already officially recognized a Palestinian state.
Domestically, the Canadian opposition also voiced its disapproval. The Conservatives asserted that “recognizing a Palestinian state after the terrorist atrocities of October 7 sends the wrong message to the world.”
Canada’s move comes amidst a perceived shifting international balance of power. Just days prior, the United Kingdom announced its intention to recognize a Palestinian state in September, conditional on Israel agreeing to a ceasefire and other terms. Last week, France indicated a similar path. Should France and the UK proceed, the United States, a steadfast ally of Israel and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, would stand as the sole UN Security Council permanent member that has not recognized a Palestinian state.
Carney emphasized that Canada’s decision was made independently of actions by Britain or France and without consultation with US President Donald Trump, affirming, “Canada sets its own foreign policy.”
The Palestinian Authority, led by Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party, maintains limited control over parts of the West Bank, while Hamas governs the Gaza Strip. Neither territory has held elections since 2006.
Former diplomats call for the recognition of the Palestinian state
The Prime Minister’s announcement was preceded by a significant appeal from nearly 200 former Canadian diplomats and ambassadors. They collectively signed a letter urging the government to recognize a Palestinian state, citing that the principles of international law and human rights are “violated daily, with mass displacement, indiscriminate shelling and starvation of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, as well as with the violence of extremist settlers in the West Bank.”
The ongoing Israeli military operation in Gaza was initiated in response to the deadly Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 abductions. Since then, local Hamas authorities report that over 60,000 people have been killed in Gaza, with at least 154, including 89 children, succumbing to starvation.
