Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Wednesday that Canada will recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September, in a fresh diplomatic blow to Israel as it faces increasingly intensifying international criticism over the war in Gaza.

He said the move was “predicated on the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to much-needed reforms” including elections in 2026, anti-corruption measures, and a demilitarized Palestinian state. Carney stressed he was “not in any way or shape minimizing that scale of that task.”

“Clearly that’s not a possibility in the near term,” the prime minister said, adding that Canada has joined the efforts of other states to “preserve the possibility of a two state solution.”

“Much has to happen before a democratic viable state is established,” he added.

Canada had long stated it would only recognize a Palestinian state at the conclusion of peace talks with Israel. But Carney said the reality on the ground, including the mounting hunger crisis in Gaza, meant “the prospect of a Palestinian state is literally receding before our eyes.”

Among the reasons, he said, were “the pervasive threat of Hamas terrorism to Israel,” accelerated settlement construction and a vote by the Knesset calling for the annexation of the West Bank.

“Canada condemns the fact that the Israeli government has allowed a catastrophe to unfold in Gaza,” he said.

Responding to Carney, the Foreign Ministry said Israel “rejects” Canada’s announcement on recognizing Palestinian statehood.

“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,” said the ministry on X.

Iddo Moed, Israel’s ambassador to Canada, said Israel “will not bow to the distorted campaign of international pressure against it.”

“We will not sacrifice our very existence by permitting the imposition of a jihadist state on our ancestral homeland that seeks our annihilation,” he said in a statement.

”Recognizing a Palestinian state in the absence of accountable government, functioning institutions, or benevolent leadership, rewards and legitimizes the monstrous barbarity of Hamas,” Moed continued. “It punishes Israeli and Palestinian victims of Hamas, vindicates Hamas.”

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas meanwhile welcomed the “historic” Canadian during a phone call with Carney, according to the PA’s official Wafa news agency, which quoted Abbas as saying the move would “enhance peace, stability, and security in the region.”

Carney’s announcement came on the heels of similar declarations by fellow G7 states France and the UK, as anger grows among Israel’s allies over the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Malta, a member of the European Union, said earlier Wednesday that it would also recognize a Palestinian state.

“They understand that it’s just a rhetorical statement,” said Emmanuel Nahshon, former ambassador to Belgium and Foreign Ministry deputy director-general for public diplomacy, “but it’s meant first and foremost at the Israeli government in order to show displeasure and disapproval of the actions of the Israeli government not only in Gaza, but also the free hand given to extreme settlers in the West Bank.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Tuesday that the UK would recognize a Palestinian state in September unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the war and humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, and meets several other conditions, including recommitting to a viable peace process.

The decision, which was relayed by Starmer to his cabinet and then to the public by way of a statement at 10 Downing Street, was swiftly condemned by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who declared the move “rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism.”

Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron made a surprise diplomatic gamble by announcing that France would recognize Palestine in September.

Macron, who did not offer Israel a way to avoid the unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood, had been pushing Starmer to follow his lead, as were a growing number of lawmakers in Britain’s ruling Labour Party, seeing it as a way to pressure Israel amid growing concern of starvation in Gaza.

“It’s purely symbolic if you ask me,” said Pascaline Wagemans, Director of Forum of Strategic Dialogue at the European Leadership Network.

She said the announcements “undermine negotiations and rewards terrorism, especially October 7.”

There remain influential European countries that are resisting recognition. Germany, one of Israel’s closest allies, has said it “does not plan to recognize a Palestinian state in the short term.” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the move would be “counterproductive.”

Norway, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia all announced recognition following the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, along with several other non-European countries.

Around 145 countries now recognize or plan to recognize Palestinian statehood, which the White House on Wednesday reiterated that US President Donald Trump would not be doing.

“As the president stated, he would be rewarding Hamas if he recognizes a Palestinian state, and he doesn’t think they should be rewarded. So he is not going to do that. President Trump’s focus is on getting people fed,” a White House officials said in a statement sent out to reporters querying regarding the Canadian announcement.

Trump, in comments on Tuesday, avoided overly criticizing the UK and France for their plans to recognize a Palestinian state, asserting that their leaders have a right to their decisions.

The latest statement from the White House appeared to maintain that same approach. While Israel may have hoped that the US would actively seek to prevent countries from recognizing a Palestinian state, Washington so far has not appeared to be doing so.

Notably, the White House statement said Trump’s focus was on addressing the hunger crisis in the Gaza Strip, and not on releasing the remaining hostages amid the logjam in ceasefire negotiations.

Trump announced on Monday that he was working on a new Gaza aid plan that would see additional food centers established in the Strip to feed Gazans. The White House said on Tuesday that details would be forthcoming, but has yet to follow up.

While Trump said Tuesday that Israel would be responsible for running the new food centers, a senior Israeli official told The Times of Israel that they were unaware of any such initiative in the works.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.