 "Canada to recognise Palestinian state, risking split with US, Israel")
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that the country will recognise a Palestinian state at the upcoming United Nations summit in September, citing deteriorating peace prospects and humanitarian devastation in Gaza.
The move aligns Canada with France and potentially the United Kingdom, setting up a likely diplomatic split with the United States and Israel.
What’s the latest
Speaking at a press conference in Ottawa, Carney said Canada’s long-held stance supporting a two-state solution through direct Israel–Palestine talks was now “no longer tenable”, reported Bloomberg.
He blamed the breakdown on both Hamas’s continued attacks and rejection of Israel’s right to exist, and recent Israeli actions—especially the expansion of West Bank settlements and a Knesset vote advocating annexation.
“The scale of human suffering in Gaza is unbearable and rapidly deteriorating,” Carney said.
What it means
Canada’s decision marks a formal divergence from US and Israeli positions, and raises pressure on other G7 nations to clarify their stance. He made clear that Canada’s recognition hinges on key conditions:
- Palestinian Authority must hold elections in 2026
- Hamas is excluded from the political process
- A future Palestinian state must be demilitarised
According to Carney, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has agreed to those reforms. Canada also pledged to work with regional allies to restore stability.
France, UK shift stance on Palestine
Earlier, France declared its intent to recognise Palestine. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signalled the UK would follow suit if Israel failed to halt the Gaza offensive and recommit to a two-state framework.
Both leaders insisted Hamas must disarm and release all hostages.
Meanwhile, Israeli settlement expansion and right-wing proposals in the Knesset to annex the West Bank have undermined the already fragile status quo.
What’s next
Canada is expected to table its recognition vote during the UN General Assembly session in September, potentially drawing in more international support.
Israel has rejected the move outright. “We will not sacrifice our very existence by permitting the imposition of a jihadist state,” said Iddo Moed, Israel’s ambassador to Canada.
The US has also pushed back. President Donald Trump dismissed the French proposal, saying it “wouldn’t change anything”.
Canada’s opposition Conservatives accused the Liberal government of appeasing terror and warned that excluding Hamas may be “impossible in practice”.