Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state in September during a United Nations meeting. This decision, which is contingent upon the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to reforms, including the holding of general elections next year that exclude Hamas, has sparked significant international debate. The move has been met with criticism from Israel, which views it as a reward for Hamas and an obstacle to achieving a ceasefire and the release of hostages captured during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Carney stated that the recognition is part of efforts to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution, emphasizing the need to prevent the situation on the ground from becoming irreversible.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry condemned the Canadian government’s shift in position, calling it a reward for Hamas and warning that it could harm the prospects for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of remaining hostages. The announcement by Canada follows similar steps by France, which had declared its intention to recognize a Palestinian state, and the UK, which also expressed its intention to do so at the United Nations if the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza had not ceased by a specific date. French President Emmanuel Macron, who had previously spoken with Carney, stated that the recognition of a Palestinian state would