OTTAWA - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Wednesday that Canada plans to formally recognize the State of Palestine during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025, a decisive move that marks a significant reversal of Canadian foreign policy that has so far shied away from unilateral recognition.
Carney reasoned that the decision was inevitable in light of the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and continued Israeli settlement construction in the occupied West Bank.
An important aspect of the announcement is its conditionality - recognition of Palestine is to be linked to reforms by the Palestinian Authority, including the holding of parliamentary elections in 2026, in which Hamas will not be allowed to participate, and the demilitarisation of the Palestinian territory.
Canada thus joins the recent moves by France and the United Kingdom, which have also announced their intention to recognise Palestine on similar terms, making Canada the third G7 country to support the concept of an independent Palestinian state as a key element of a two-state solution.
The announcement prompted a swift diplomatic response from Israel, whose foreign ministry expressed dismay, describing Canada's move as a "reward for Hamas" that they said undermined efforts to broker a ceasefire and free the hostages.
Carney stressed, however, that without such a step, the hopes for a two-state solution are significantly weakened. Canada has therefore decided to use its foreign policy as an instrument of international pressure towards peace and stability in the Middle East
gnews.cz - GH
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