In a landmark shift in foreign policy, Canada has announced that it will formally recognise the State of Palestine at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session in September. Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed the decision on Wednesday, aligning Canada with the United Kingdom and France, who have also pledged to support Palestinian statehood in recent days.
The move comes as Palestine grapples with a devastating humanitarian crisis, particularly in Gaza, where starvation and aid blockades have worsened. Prime Minister Carney directly blamed Israel for denying international organisations access to deliver humanitarian aid, calling the situation unacceptable. His remarks echo growing calls in the West for a political resolution to the conflict rooted in the two-state solution.
The UK’s decision, announced a day earlier by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, is conditional upon a ceasefire and a halt to Israel’s annexation plans in the West Bank. France and Malta have also joined the list of countries supporting Palestine’s full statehood recognition, a move that could alter diplomatic equations in the region.
Israel, however, has condemned Canada’s announcement. The Israeli ambassador to Canada, Iddo Moed, accused Ottawa of “rewarding terrorists”, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the UK’s decision by stating that “Starmer rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism and punishes its victims.”
Currently, Palestine holds the status of a “Permanent Observer State” at the United Nations. This allows participation in debates but not the ability to vote on resolutions. Full membership requires a Security Council recommendation and a two-thirds vote in the General Assembly. A US veto blocked Palestine’s last membership bid in April 2024.
As of March 2025, 147 of the 193 UN member states recognise Palestine as an independent state. Most of these are from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East — including India. However, countries like the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Australia continue to withhold recognition.
In Europe, the momentum is growing. Spain, Norway, and Ireland recognised Palestine in 2024, and now the UK and France have followed suit. Belgium and Germany are still undecided. Canada’s entry into this group makes it the third G7 country to support Palestinian statehood, adding more diplomatic pressure on Israel and signalling a possible realignment of Western policy.
Britain’s recognition carries special weight due to its historical involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The 1917 Balfour Declaration, through which the UK supported a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine, is viewed by many Palestinians as the root of their displacement and suffering. The UK’s recognition, over a century later, could be seen as a step toward balancing historical accountability with contemporary diplomacy.
The recognition wave also risks isolating the United States, the only permanent member of the UN Security Council yet to support Palestinian statehood. Such isolation may weaken Washington’s claim of being an impartial mediator in the peace process.
The 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly will open on September 9 in New York. With more recognitions expected in the coming weeks, Palestine’s diplomatic standing could significantly improve, reigniting debate over the future of the two-state solution and the role of the global community in resolving the Middle East conflict.
