The federal government is changing its policy around when it would recognize a Palestinian state in response to what it describes as unacceptable positions and actions taken by both the Israeli government and the Hamas militant group that controls the Gaza strip.
On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government said it will now consider recognizing a Palestinian state before the terms of a two-state solution are finalized. Until now, Canada’s position has been that it would recognize a Palestinian state only as the last step in such a process.
Ottawa announced the change to its long-standing position on the same day the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of a Palestinian bid to become a full UN member. In the past Canada has voted with the United States and Israel against such resolutions but this time it abstained from the vote.
The process to achieving a two-state solution “cannot indefinitely delay the creation of a Palestinian state,” read the Friday statement from the federal foreign affairs department.
“Canada is prepared to recognize the State of Palestine at the time most conducive to lasting peace, not necessarily as the last step along that path,” the statement said.
At a press conference in West Kelowna, B.C., Mr. Trudeau told reporters his government believes the world is moving further away from a negotiated two-state solution where Israel can exist peacefully and securely beside a Palestinian state.
“The Israeli government under Prime Minister Netanyahu has unacceptably closed the door on any path towards a two-state solution and we disagree with that fundamentally,” Mr. Trudeau said.
At the same time Hamas, which the federal government has designated a terrorist organization, “continues to put civilian lives in danger, continues to refuse to recognize the State of Israel in ways that are also unacceptable,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the government is now open to recognizing the state of Palestine prior to negotiations being completed “as a way of pushing towards that two-state solution.”
The war between Israel and Hamas has deeply divided his minority Liberal caucus and his government has been subject to immense internal and external pressure from those demanding more support for Israel, while others argue for the opposite.
The war began on Oct. 7 when Hamas invaded Israel, killed more than 1,200 people and tortured and raped some of its victims. The militant group took about 240 people hostage and is believed to still be holding about 100 people captive.
Since then, Israel has launched one of the most intense bombing campaigns in recent history. The military assault has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-controlled health agency. Seven months on, aid groups warn that Palestinians in Gaza are starving, have no access to adequate health care, and many of their homes have been destroyed by Israel’s bombardment.
On Friday, Mr. Trudeau repeated his government’s call for Hamas to lay down its arms and release the remaining hostages and for Israel to ensure more humanitarian aid enters Gaza “to prevent the famine conditions that are quickly developing and the horrific loss of life.”
The government’s new position is being announced almost two months after it persuaded the NDP to change a motion before the House of Commons that originally called for the immediate recognition of a Palestinian state.
In response to the new policy outlined by the federal government, Israel’s ambassador to Canada, Iddo Moed, said in a statement that recognizing a Palestinian state now would reward Hamas for its atrocities on Oct. 7 and reward Iran for its April 14 missile attack on Israel.
“Palestinian statehood could only be achieved through negotiations between the two sides,” Mr. Moed said. “We expect the international community not to impose a reality that does not coincide with the situation on the ground.”
International affairs professor Roland Paris, who is also the director of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa, said it’s difficult to understand the policy logic for Canada’s new position which he said is also unclear because the government hasn’t articulated in what circumstances it would make a declaration of Palestinian statehood.
Prof. Paris agreed with the Israeli position that recognizing statehood now would reward Hamas for initiating the current fighting. “Would doing so make peace more likely? I doubt it,” he said.
In a statement, Conservative spokesperson Sebastian Skamski said the Official Opposition believes the current war was started by Hamas and “can end as soon as Hamas releases the hostages, lays down its arms, and unconditionally surrenders.”
“The process and work towards a peaceful two-state solution can restart once the war ends,” Mr. Skamski said.
The NDP said if it were in government, Canada would have voted in favour of the resolution at the UN. MP and foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson described the federal government’s abstention as a betrayal.
“Palestine is a state and should be recognized by Canada,” Ms. McPherson said. “The more we delay in making statehood a reality, the more harm and despair it creates for millions of Palestinians. This move would help bring peace and security for both Palestinians and Israelis.”