Canada's PM Carney announces intention to recognise Palestinian statehood

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday followed the lead of the French president Emmanuel Macron and the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to announce that his country plans to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September.

Carney said the move was necessary to preserve hopes of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

 "The worsening suffering of civilians in Gaza leaves no room for delay in coordinated international action to support peace," Carney added.

Last Thursday, France became the first major Western power to change tack over Israel. Macron said that recognising a Palestinian state was part of France's historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.

On 30 July, Starmer said Britain will formally recognise the state of Palestine this September unless Israel abides by a ceasefire in theGaza Strip and commits to a two-state solution in the Middle East.

Carney's move came under fire from Israeli and American authorities.

"Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine," wrote President Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform. "That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them."

Israel said Canada's announcement was part of a distorted campaign of international pressure.

"It recognises a Palestinian state in the absence of accountable government, functioning institutions, or benevolent leadership, rewards and legitimizes the monstrous barbarity of Hamas on October 7, 2023," said the Israeli embassy in Ottawa.

Conditions for support

Carney stressed that the Palestinian Authority (PA) - which has civil authority in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank - had to agree to certain conditions as part of the recognition.

He said the PA's leader, President Mahmoud Abbas, had to honour his pledge to hold general elections in 2026. Carney said Hamas could  play no part in the polls and had to give up its arms.

"Canada has been an unwavering member of the group of nations that hoped a two-state solution would be achieved as part of a peace process built around a negotiated settlement between the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority," Carney said.

"Regrettably, this approach is no longer tenable," he said, citing Hamas terrorism and the group's longstanding violent rejection of Israel's right to exist.

The peace process had also been eroded by the expansion of Israeli settlements across the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, Carney said.

"Any path to lasting peace for Israel also requires a viable and stable Palestinian state, and one that recognizes Israel's inalienable right to security and peace," Carney added.