Canada Signals Intent to Recognise Palestine State, Following France and UK

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 0945 EAT on Thursday 31 July 2025

Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced that Canada intends to recognise a Palestinian state in September, making it the third G7 country in recent days to signal such a move.

Carney said the decision will be contingent on democratic reforms, including the Palestinian Authority holding elections next year—with Hamas excluded from participation.

His remarks follow similar announcements by other Western powers. On Tuesday, the United Kingdom declared it would recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agreed to a ceasefire and met other conditions. France unveiled a comparable plan last week.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry swiftly rejected Canada’s statement, calling it “a reward for Hamas.”

While the move marks a shift among key Western allies, it aligns with broader international sentiment—147 of the 193 UN member states already recognise a Palestinian state.

Carney announced that Canada will formally recognize the State of Palestine at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly.

He pointed to the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel by Hamas as key factors behind Canada’s significant shift in foreign policy.

“The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable and rapidly deteriorating,” Carney told reporters on Wednesday.

Carney said that Canada’s recognition of Palestinian statehood would be contingent upon the Palestinian Authority committing to major governance reforms and the demilitarization of Palestinian territories.

While Canada has traditionally supported a two-state solution achieved through negotiations, Carney acknowledged that “this approach is no longer sustainable.”

“The possibility of a Palestinian state is slipping away before our eyes,” he said.

During the press briefing, Carney noted that he had spoken earlier that day with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas about Canada’s decision.

The Palestinian Authority governs parts of the West Bank through the Fatah party, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, while Hamas controls Gaza. Neither territory has held elections since 2006.

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized Carney’s announcement, posting on X that Canada’s plan “harms the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of the hostages.”

Canada’s Conservative Party also opposed the move, stating that “recognizing a Palestinian state in the aftermath of the October 7 terrorist atrocities sends the wrong message to the world.”

Prime Minister Carney has faced mounting pressure to address Palestinian statehood following similar statements from close allies, the United Kingdom and France, in recent days.

Nearly 200 former Canadian ambassadors and diplomats signed a letter on Tuesday urging Prime Minister Carney to recognize a Palestinian state. The letter criticized Canada’s current approach, stating that its principles “are being abandoned daily with the massive displacement, indiscriminate bombardment, and starvation of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, as well as violent attacks by extremist settlers in the West Bank.”

When asked if Canada’s decision was influenced by the announcements from the UK and France or if he had consulted U.S. President Donald Trump, Carney emphasized that Canada makes its own foreign policy decisions.

If France and the UK formally recognize Palestinian statehood, the United States—a strong ally of Israel—would remain the only permanent member of the UN Security Council not to do so.

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the taking of 251 hostages.

Since then, more than 60,000 people have died in Gaza. According to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry, 154 people, including 89 children, have died from malnutrition.

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