Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Wednesday promised to recognise the Palestinian state at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September. Canada became the third G7 nation, after France and the UK, in recent days to say it would recognise the Palestinian state.
But, conditions apply. Carney said the formal change depended on democratic reforms, including the Palestinian Authority holding elections next year without Hamas. He explained that Ottawa had hoped that a ‘two-state’ solution could be achieved through a negotiated peace process, but that approach was “no longer tenable”.
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Almost immediately, Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Canada’s move in a post on X. Israel decried the move as one that not only rewards Hamas but also harms the efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza, and the framework for the release of hostages.
The US, one of Israel’s staunchest allies, has consistently refused to recognise Palestine on the same grounds.
Like when President Trump very eloquently dismissed Emmanuel Macron’s plans to acknowledge the Palestine state saying the French President, and key ally, is “a very good guy” but his statement “doesn't carry any weight”.
Palestine has been demanding statehood for over 75 years. The State of Palestine has been a non-member observer of the UN General Assembly since 2012. With the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, that demand has gained support globally. A crisis that has seen more than 60,000 Palestinians killed already with a global hunger monitor warning that a worst-case scenario of famine is unfolding in the enclave. A claim that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vehemently rejected.
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Earlier this week, Netanyahu slammed the “reversal of truth” about the situation in Gaza. He reiterated that “there is no starvation in Gaza”. He even went a step further and defiantly declared that “there would be no Gazans” had Israel not enabled humanitarian aid to enter Gaza throughout the duration of this war.
