Canada to recognize Palestinian state at UN General Assembly in September: Carney

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced Ottawa’s intention to recognize the State of Palestine at the United Nations in September.

Carney said on Wednesday that his country plans to join others in formally recognizing Palestinian statehood during the annual United Nations General Assembly in September.

Canada is the third major US ally to say it is prepared to recognize a Palestinian state, as outrage has grown over the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

He said he condemned the extremist right-wing Israeli leaders in Tel Aviv who have “allowed a catastrophe to unfold in Gaza.”

“The deepening suffering of civilians leaves no room for delaying coordinated international action to support peace, security and the dignity of human life,” he said following discussions in a cabinet meeting about Israel’s genocidal war and deliberate use of starvation as a weapon aimed at ethnically cleansing the Palestinian territory.

However, Carney said the recognition of statehood was “predicated on the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to much-needed reforms”, including holding elections and anti-corruption measures.

Canada’s prime minister added that he was “not in any way or shape minimizing that scale of that task.” He said Ottawa is joining the efforts of other states to “preserve the possibility of a [so-called] two-state solution.” “Clearly, that’s not a possibility in the near term.”

Carney’s announcement came after the Canadian leader spoke to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer about Gaza on Tuesday, during which the two discussed “the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian disaster in Gaza, as well as the United Kingdom’s statement on the recognition of a Palestinian state,” according to a readout from Carney’s office.

Starmer’s office released a statement this week, saying Britain would formally recognize a Palestinian state at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025 if the Israeli regime fails to take “substantive steps” to end the crisis in Gaza.

France, too, will recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly this September. French President Emmanuel Macron announced in a statement on the X social media platform that he hoped the official recognition of a Palestinian state would contribute to peace in the region.

Israel’s foreign ministry quickly “rejected” Canada’s decision in a post on X, calling it a “reward to Hamas.”

“The change in the position of the Canadian government at this time is a reward for Hamas and harms the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of the hostages,” the ministry stated.

Last month, Canada joined the UK, Norway, New Zealand, and Australia in sanctioning two far-right ministers of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet.