The Canadian prime minister announced that Ottawa would recognize a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN General Assembly meeting. France, and potentially the UK, also plan to vote for Palestine to become a UN member state.
“Preserving a two-state solution means standing with all people who choose peace over violence or terrorism, and honouring their innate desire for the peaceful co-existence of Israeli and Palestinian states as the only roadmap for a secure and prosperous future,” Prime Minister Mark Carney said during a news conference on Wednesday.
Ottawa followed Paris and London in the declaration. French President Emmanuel Macron declared on Monday that his country could recognize Palestine as a UN member state.
“True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine,” Macron wrote on X. “I will make the solemn announcement at the United Nations General Assembly next September. The urgency today is to end the war in Gaza and to provide aid to the civilian population.”
UK leader Keir Starmer made a similar announcement on Tuesday, but added he would only recognize Palestine if Israel did not agree to a ceasefire by September. “As part of this process towards peace I can confirm the UK will recognise the state of Palestine by the United Nations General Assembly in September,” a statement from the UK prime minister’s office said.
“Unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a Two State Solution,” it continues. “And this includes allowing the UN to restart the supply of aid, and making clear there will be no annexations in the West Bank.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at Starmer over the announcement. “Starmer rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism & punishes its victims. A jihadist state on Israel’s border TODAY will threaten Britain TOMORROW,” the Israeli PM said a post on Tuesday. “Appeasement towards jihadist terrorists always fails. It will fail you too. It will not happen.”
