In a significant shift in international diplomacy, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, that Canada plans to recognize the State of Palestine at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly this September. This move aligns Canada with France and the United Kingdom, marking an important moment in the global response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Carney convened a rare summer Cabinet meeting in Ottawa to discuss the deteriorating situation in Gaza, where starvation and suffering have reached alarming levels. He condemned the Israeli government's "ongoing failure" to halt the humanitarian disaster unfolding in the Palestinian territory. "The deepening suffering of civilians leaves no room for delay in coordinated international action to support peace, security and the dignity of all human life," Carney said, underscoring the urgency behind Canada’s decision.
The Canadian recognition of Palestinian statehood is contingent upon critical conditions set by Prime Minister Carney. Notably, the Palestinian Authority must commit to holding general elections in 2026 in which Hamas, the militant group controlling Gaza, is excluded from participation. Additionally, the Palestinian state must be demilitarized. Carney emphasized that he had outlined these conditions directly with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas prior to the announcement. He also reiterated the demand that Hamas immediately release all hostages and disarm, a key stipulation amid ongoing hostage negotiations.
This announcement follows a wave of similar declarations. French President Emmanuel Macron was the first major Western leader to pledge recognition of Palestine last week, making France the first Group of Seven (G7) country to take such a step. The United Kingdom followed suit on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer announcing plans to recognize Palestinian statehood at the U.N. if the Israeli government does not take "substantive steps" to end the crisis in Gaza. Malta also declared its intention to recognize Palestine in September, joining a growing list of countries pushing for a diplomatic shift.
More than 140 countries already recognize Palestine, including about a dozen European nations such as Spain, Romania, Sweden, Ireland, and Bulgaria. However, Canada’s move is especially notable given its historical support for a negotiated two-state solution and its longstanding alliance with Israel.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is at the heart of this diplomatic pivot. The United Nations World Food Programme and UNICEF have warned that food consumption and nutrition levels in Gaza have plummeted to their worst since the conflict began. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres described the situation as a "humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions," warning that "Gaza is on the brink of famine." The Gaza Health Ministry reported seven new hunger-related deaths on the day of Carney’s announcement, including that of a two-year-old girl, raising the total deaths from starvation and malnutrition since the war's start to 154, with at least 89 children among them.
The conflict’s grim toll extends beyond hunger. Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and abducting 251 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has resulted in over 60,000 Palestinian deaths, with more than half being women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The Israeli military has also imposed severe restrictions on aid entering Gaza, exacerbating the humanitarian emergency.
Israel strongly condemned Canada’s announcement. The Israeli Foreign Ministry labeled it "a reward for Hamas and harms the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of the hostages." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed this sentiment, criticizing the recognition moves by France, the U.K., and Canada as rewarding terrorism. Similarly, U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been vocal on the matter, called such recognition "a prize for terrorism" and warned it could undermine peace efforts. Trump emphasized on social media that "the fastest way to end the Humanitarian Crises in Gaza is for Hamas to SURRENDER AND RELEASE THE HOSTAGES." U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff was scheduled to meet Netanyahu on July 31 to discuss Gaza and stalled hostage negotiations.
Within Canada, the decision has sparked debate. Canadian-born Likud Member of Knesset Dan Illouz issued a scathing open letter condemning the recognition as "a historic betrayal." He accused the Canadian government of rewarding "the bloodiest antisemitic atrocity of our generation" and called on Canadian lawmakers to refuse to let their country’s name be used to legitimize terror. Illouz argued that this move is not merely a moral failure but a strategic one, framing it as a civilizational issue that demands Canada to choose its side.
Meanwhile, the international community grapples with the broader implications of these recognition moves. Jonathan Panikoff, former deputy U.S. national intelligence officer on the Middle East, described the recognition as an attempt "to increase pressure on Israel to compel it to return to a two-state paradigm." Yet, he cautioned that Canada’s announcement is "unlikely to be anything more than symbolic and risks undermining their relationship with a longtime ally in Israel."
Amid these diplomatic developments, tensions remain high on the ground. Israeli security cabinet member Zeev Elkin suggested that Israel could threaten to annex parts of Gaza to pressure Hamas further, a move that could dash Palestinian hopes for statehood. Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Defense Minister Israel Katz also declared that the current moment presents an opportunity to annex the West Bank (referred to biblically as Judea and Samaria), claiming groundwork had been laid, including proposals and maps prepared during former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
Violence continues in the West Bank as well. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) requested autopsy findings following the death of Khamis Abdul Latif Ayyad, a Palestinian man who suffocated while trying to extinguish flames during an arson attack by extremist settlers in the West Bank town of Silwad. The IDF dispatched troops to the scene after reports of the attack, but suspects had fled. Police investigations into the arson and vandalism are ongoing.
In Europe, the Portuguese government announced it is consulting its president and parliament on recognizing the State of Palestine, potentially concluding the process during the U.N. General Assembly’s high-level week. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called for the cessation of activities by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which he accused of militarizing aid distribution and causing a "bloodbath" in aid lines.
The United States recently imposed sanctions on Palestinian Authority officials and Palestine Liberation Organization members, accusing them of undermining peace efforts through actions such as seeking international legal redress and paying stipends to convicted terrorists and their families. The sanctions block visa access to the U.S. for those targeted.
Amid these geopolitical shifts, Israel continues to provide humanitarian aid to vulnerable groups, including the Druze community in southern Syria’s Sweida province following sectarian clashes. The aid package comprises food, medical supplies, and first aid kits, demonstrating Israel’s ongoing regional humanitarian engagement despite the conflict’s intensity.
As the world watches, the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session in September is shaping up to be a pivotal moment for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Canada’s recognition of Palestine, alongside similar moves by France, the U.K., Malta, and potentially Portugal, signals a growing international willingness to challenge the status quo and seek new pathways toward peace—though not without controversy and deep divisions.
Whether these symbolic recognitions will translate into tangible progress on the ground remains uncertain. Yet, with Gaza’s humanitarian crisis worsening daily and diplomatic tensions escalating, the pressure for a resolution has never been more intense.
