[Toronto] — The Government of Canada on Sunday officially recognized the State of Palestine, a landmark decision announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office as he travelled to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
The move, taken alongside France and Britain, is aimed at reaffirming the viability of a two-state solution amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and growing instability in the Middle East. Carney is scheduled to join world leaders at a special UN event on Monday focused on Palestinian statehood and peace negotiations.
Strong Opposition from Israel and the U.S.
Israel and its key ally, the United States, have rejected the recognition, warning it undermines peace efforts while Hamas continues to hold hostages in Gaza. Jewish organizations in Canada have also voiced concern, saying statehood should only follow direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.
Canada’s Position
Ottawa stated the decision is meant “to affirm the continuity of Palestine’s existence under international law and to remove any question that a Palestinian state should exist.” With this announcement, Canada joins 147 of the UN’s 193 member states in recognizing Palestine.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand stressed that recognition does not equal normalization. “Recognition is binary—you either recognize or you do not. Normalization is a process,” she said, noting embassy-level relations will not be upgraded immediately.
Conditions Attached
Canada’s recognition is conditional on the Palestinian Authority undertaking “meaningful reforms,” including holding new elections. The government also underscored that Hamas cannot play a role in governing a future Palestinian state, which must remain demilitarized.
Broader Context
In announcing recognition, Prime Minister Mark Carney emphasized that Canada’s decision is part of a coordinated international effort to preserve the two-state solution, grounded in principles of self-determination and human rights. The government underscored that recognition empowers peaceful actors within the Palestinian Authority, while explicitly rejecting any legitimacy for Hamas, which must disarm, release hostages, and play no role in governance.
Canada’s recognition also comes with conditions: the Palestinian Authority has committed to broad reforms, including holding general elections in 2026 without Hamas participation and ensuring the demilitarization of a future state. Ottawa pledged to intensify support for these reforms while maintaining its “steadfast support for Israel, its people, and their security” as part of a comprehensive peace plan .