Prime Minister Mark Carney has officially announced that Canada will recognize an independent Palestinian state, a move timed with the opening of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The decision places Canada among a growing list of Western nations — including the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Belgium, and Portugal — that are backing Palestinian statehood despite fierce opposition from Israel and the Trump administration.
Carney said Canada moved forward after the Palestinian Authority made “progress on key reform commitments,” including pledges to hold 2026 elections that exclude Hamas, revise its education curriculum to address anti-Jewish content, and end financial payments to families of those who carried out attacks on Israelis.
Recognition marks a significant shift in Canadian foreign policy, as Ottawa had long maintained that statehood would come only at the conclusion of peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. With Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank and the mounting civilian death toll from Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, Carney said preserving a two-state solution is “critical to Canada’s interests.”
The announcement immediately drew mixed reactions. The National Council of Canadian Muslims hailed it as a “historic day,” while Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East called it a “real policy victory.” But Jewish advocacy group B’nai Brith Canada accused Ottawa of bowing to international pressure and recognizing a state “built entirely on empty promises.” Federal Conservatives went further, accusing Carney of legitimizing Hamas and undermining Israel’s security.
Israel’s government, which opposes a two-state solution, has sharply condemned the decision, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling it a “prize” for Hamas. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned the move could jeopardize peace negotiations, while President Donald Trump previously threatened that Canada’s recognition would “jeopardize” a trade deal — later slapping a 35 per cent tariff on Canadian goods not covered under CUSMA.
Carney is scheduled to meet UN Secretary-General António Guterres and other world leaders in New York this week and will attend a high-level session on the two-state solution. He is expected to continue pushing for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages, and increased humanitarian aid.