Sunday, 5th April 2026
Khabor Wala Desk
Published: 31st July 2025, 4:15 PM
In a significant foreign policy shift, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has declared that Canada will officially recognise the State of Palestine during the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025. The move places Canada alongside France and the United Kingdom as the latest Western nations to take formal steps in support of Palestinian statehood.
“This recognition is vital to preserve the viability of a two-state solution, which is visibly deteriorating before our eyes,” Carney stated on Wednesday.
Points of the Announcement
| Aspect | Details |
| Recognition Date | September 2025 (80th UN General Assembly Session) |
| Conditions for Recognition | – Palestinian Authority reforms – Exclusion of Hamas from elections – Demilitarisation |
| Additional Reforms Expected | General elections in 2026 under President Mahmud Abbas, with no participation from Hamas |
| Other Supporting Nations | France, United Kingdom |
International Reactions
Israeli Response
The Israeli government rejected Canada’s announcement, branding it part of a “distorted campaign of international pressure.” The Israeli embassy in Ottawa released a strongly worded statement:
“Recognising a Palestinian state without credible governance or functioning institutions rewards and legitimises the monstrous barbarity of Hamas on 7 October 2023.”
Palestinian Authority’s Response
President Mahmud Abbas welcomed the announcement, calling it a “historic decision”, while also pledging cooperation on Canada’s conditions for recognition.
France and UK
Two-State Solution: A Shrinking Prospect
Carney acknowledged that Canada’s long-standing support for a negotiated two-state solution is under serious threat:
“Regrettably, this approach is no longer tenable,” he said, citing multiple deteriorating conditions:
Challenges Undermining Peace
| Factors | Impact on Peace Process |
| Hamas’s violent rejection of Israel’s existence | Blocks prospects of joint negotiations |
| Israeli settlement expansion in West Bank & Jerusalem | Dismantles physical viability of a Palestinian state |
| Vote in Israeli Knesset favouring West Bank annexation | Undermines the vision of two separate states |
| Humanitarian crisis in Gaza | Further diminishes international confidence in peace-building |
Possibility of Policy Reversal?
Asked whether Canada might change its position before the UN vote, Carney was blunt:
“There’s a scenario – but possibly one that I can’t imagine.”
He reiterated that Canada’s move is firm but conditional—dependent on meaningful reforms by the Palestinian Authority, including demilitarisation and electoral restructuring.
This landmark announcement signifies a bold new direction in Canada’s Middle East policy, highlighting growing Western frustration with the stagnant peace process and escalating humanitarian crises across the region.
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