Canada intends to recognise Palestine as a state, Mark Carney has announced.
The Canadian prime minister said Canada would formally recognise Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly in September if the West Bank’s governing authority met a series of criteria, including holding an election.
The move follows similar commitments from other allied leaders in recent weeks, including Sir Keir Starmer, who announced Britain would officially recognise Palestine if Israel failed to end the “appalling” situation in Gaza.
“The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable,” Mr Carney said on Tuesday evening.
“Canada intends to recognise the state of Palestine at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025.”
Israel’s foreign ministry said the move was a “reward for Hamas”.
“Israel rejects the statement by the prime minister of Canada,” it said in a statement.
“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.”
Global shift against Israel
Pressure to formally recognise Palestinian statehood has mounted on western leaders since Emmanuel Macron, the French president, announced France would became the first major Western power to recognise a Palestinian state.
As with France and the UK, Canadian recognition would be largely symbolic, but it is part of a broader global shift against Israel and could increase diplomatic pressure for an end to the conflict.
More than 140 countries recognise a Palestinian state, including a dozen in Europe. Mr Macron’s announcement last week made France the first Group of Seven countries — and the largest in Europe — to take that step.
It has sparked anger from the US and Israel, who accused western leaders of rewarding Hamas.
Sir Keir’s announcement triggered anger from both supporters of Israel and pro-Palestinian activists. Activists on the left said the move did not go far enough.
Tammy Bruce, of the US state department, said Sir Keir’s move was a “slap in the face” for the victims of the October 7 massacre by Hamas.
“It gives one group hope, and that’s Hamas,” Ms Bruce told a briefing. “It is a reward of that kind of behaviour that if you wait long enough, if you don’t co-operate in any other normal environment where someone was so utterly defeated, they would surrender.”