Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada will recognize Palestine as a state in September at the United Nations General Assembly, following similar announcements from the United Kingdom and France.
“The deepening suffering of civilians leaves no room for delay in co-ordinated international action to support peace, security, and the dignity of all human life,” Carney said in a statement Wednesday.
Canada has had a long-standing position supporting the idea of an independent Palestinian state existing alongside Israel, but has said recognition should come as part of a negotiated two-state solution to the conflict. Carney said Wednesday that prospects of a two-state solution “have been steadily and gravely eroded.”
“Preserving a two-state solution means standing with all people who choose peace over violence or terrorism, and honouring their innate desire for the peaceful co-existence of Israeli and Palestinian states as the only roadmap for a secure and prosperous future,” Carney said.
Canada said its recognition is “predicated on the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to much-needed reforms, including the commitments by Palestinian Authority President [Mahmoud] Abbas to fundamentally reform its governance, to hold general elections in 2026 in which Hamas can play no part, and to demilitarize the Palestinian state.”
