Canada will officially recognize the State of Palestine during the upcoming 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Wednesday. This marks a major shift in Canadian foreign policy, aligning the country with France and the UK, which have also voiced support for Palestinian statehood.
Carney said the decision reflects Canada’s long-standing belief in a two-state solution to the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He warned that the chances of achieving lasting peace through negotiations are “being eroded before our eyes,” pointing to Israel’s failure to stop the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, continued settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, and annexed East Jerusalem.
“For decades, the world hoped peace would come through talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority,” Carney said during a press briefing in Ottawa. “But it has become clear that this approach is no longer workable.”
France’s President Emmanuel Macron recently announced a similar move, which drew sharp criticism from Israel, calling it a “reward for terror.” US President Donald Trump dismissed both France’s and Canada’s decisions as “pointless.” Despite this pushback, Carney stressed that recognizing Palestine is essential to keeping the two-state solution alive and to support efforts for lasting peace in the region.
With this announcement, Canada joins a growing number of nations taking a firm stance on Palestinian statehood, potentially reshaping international diplomacy ahead of the UN meeting in September.
