Canada confirmed on Wednesday its intention to formally recognize Palestine as a sovereign state during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly scheduled for September. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Mark Carney at a hastily convened press conference on Parliament Hill, following a cabinet meeting focused on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
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Carney explained that this position is subject to a series of commitments by the Palestinian Authority, including plans to hold general elections in 2026 without the participation of the Hamas group, as well as the implementation of structural reforms in its government system.
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Why did Canada decide to recognize Palestine?
“The intention of Canada is based on the demonstrated commitment by the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, to deeply transform governance, to organize democratic elections excluding Hamas, and to move towards the demilitarization of the future Palestinian State,” stated the Canadian Prime Minister as reported by the Toronto Sun.
In addition, the Canadian government plans to intensify its collaboration with Palestinian authorities to promote efficient and democratic administration, with the aim of contributing to a lasting and peaceful solution in the region.
Carney hopes to have a phone conversation with the President of the Palestinian Authority to inform him of the situation.
In his press statement, Carney expressed his concern about the deteriorating conditions in Gaza. “Human suffering has reached intolerable levels. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have lost their lives, and many more are at risk of famine,” stated the prime minister, who also accused Israeli authorities of restricting the entry of essential food and medical supplies.
During the conference, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand, who recently attended a conference of ministers in New York focused on the two-state solution, also participated. “Canada reaffirms its commitment to a two-state solution, where Palestine and Israel coexist as sovereign nations in conditions of peace and security," Carney added.
Canada joins other G7 countries
Canada’s decision comes at a time of increasing international pressure on Israel due to the attacks and the situation of the civilian population in Gaza.
Up until last week, 147 out of the 193 UN member states recognized Palestine, but none of them were from the G7, the group of the seven major economies of the Western world composed of the United States, Canada, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan.
Everything started to change with France’s decision to recognize Palestine and this Tuesday the United Kingdom joined in, a country that through Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that it would take that path if Israel does not implement concrete measures to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.
Criticism from Israel and the Canadian opposition
The official reaction of the Israeli government was immediate. The Israeli embassy in Ottawa issued a statement categorically rejecting Canada’s announcement, arguing that this type of decision only strengthens extremist groups. “This measure rewards the barbarity of Hamas and punishes all victims of terrorism, both Israeli and Palestinian,” said Ambassador Iddo Moed.
“Israel will not accept external impositions that seek to establish a hostile state in our ancestral land,” added Moed, referring to what he described as international attempts to force an agreement without security guarantees for the Israeli people.
From the internal political sphere, although the Canadian Conservative Party agrees with the two-state solution, they questioned the timing and manner in which the recognition is being proposed. “A unilateral declaration of state without prior peace processes or a clear renunciation of violence by Palestinian leaders undermines any possibility of a true agreement," stated the conservative party in a press release.
Likewise, they considered that granting international legitimacy in this context represents a wrong signal, and that it could be interpreted as a political reward for a group like Hamas that governs Gaza through fear and repression.