Canada joins growing number of Western nations set to recognize Palestinian statehood

08/01/2025 / By Ramon Tomey

Canada plans to recognize Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly in September, aligning with France and the U.K. – marking a departure from its historical stance favoring negotiated peace talks.
Prime Minister Mark Carney cited Israel’s West Bank settlements, Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and the PA’s pledge to exclude Hamas as reasons, warning that the two-state solution is collapsing.
Israel condemned the move as “a reward for Hamas,” while the U.S. reaffirmed opposition, calling recognition a “reward for terrorism.” The PA welcomed it, though skeptics doubt its enforceability.
Israel’s government rejects Palestinian sovereignty outright, with rights groups accusing it of apartheid, while Palestinians view recognition as a tentative step toward justice after decades of occupation.
While Western recognition may lack immediate practical change, it signals growing global impatience with Israel’s actions and shifts geopolitical dynamics toward Palestinian legitimacy.

In a striking diplomatic shift, Canada announced plans to recognize Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly in September, joining France and the United Kingdom.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney made the announcement on Wednesday, July 30. He framed the decision as a response to Israel’s “unfolding catastrophe” in Gaza, intensifying global pressure on Tel Aviv. Starvation and bombardment have killed more than 60,000 Palestinians in the Strip – including 154 from malnutrition, 89 of them children.

The announcement signals a turning point among Western nations historically aligned with Israel. While over 140 countries already recognize Palestine, Ottawa’s move marks a departure from its longstanding stance that statehood should emerge from negotiated peace talks.

Carney cited Israel’s expanding West Bank settlements, Gaza’s devastation and pledges by the Palestinian National Authority (PA) to exclude Hamas from future elections as justifications. “The prospect of a Palestinian state is receding before our eyes,” he said, accusing Israel of eroding the possibility of a two-state solution. (Related: U.K. threatens to recognize Palestinian statehood by September unless Israel agrees to CEASEFIRE.)

Israel swiftly condemned the move, with its foreign ministry calling it “a reward for Hamas.” This echoes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence that Palestinian statehood would embolden threats to Israel’s security.

A White House official who spoke anonymously reiterated U.S. President Donald Trump’s opposition, stating recognition of Palestinian statehood would “reward terrorism.” Washington remains the lone permanent UN Security Council member not to recognize Palestine, despite widespread global support since the PA gained UN observer status in 2012.

Why Palestinian recognition still isn’t freedom

Historical context underscores the gravity of the moment. The 1993 Oslo Accords envisioned Palestinian self-governance as part of a peace process now deemed stagnant by many. Israel’s far-right government openly rejects Palestinian sovereignty, with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich recently declaring Gaza “an inseparable part of the Land of Israel.”

Meanwhile, rights groups like B’Tselem and Amnesty International accuse Israel of apartheid – a claim echoed by Amos Schocken, publisher of Israel’s left-leaning Haaretz. But for Palestinians, the announcements offer faint hope.

Gaza resident Saed al-Akhras called them a “shift” after decades of “occupation and silence.” Yet families of Israeli hostages abducted on Oct. 7, 2023 demanded no recognition until captives are freed, framing it as a “moral failure.”

The PA, which governs parts of the West Bank but lacks control over Hamas-run Gaza, welcomed the move. However, it faces skepticism over promised reforms.

With Netanyahu’s coalition vowing permanent control over Palestinian territories and arms firms profiting from occupation-tested weapons, recognition by Western allies may prove symbolic. But as starvation spreads and global patience wanes, the momentum suggests a redefined geopolitical landscape – one where Israel’s isolation grows and long-marginalized Palestinian voices inch toward legitimacy.

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Watch Professor Philippe Sands, lawyer for Palestine, arguing before the International Court of Justice that Palestinian statehood is not contingent on Israel’s approval.

This video is from the Cynthia’s Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.