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| Canada follows France and UK with plan to recognise Palestinian state | Canada follows France and UK with plan to recognise Palestinian state |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Watch: Mark Carney announces Canada's plans to recognise a Palestinian state | Watch: Mark Carney announces Canada's plans to recognise a Palestinian state |
| Prime Minister Mark Carney has said Canada plans to recognise a Palestinian state in September, becoming the third G7 nation to make such an announcement in recent days. | Prime Minister Mark Carney has said Canada plans to recognise a Palestinian state in September, becoming the third G7 nation to make such an announcement in recent days. |
| Carney said such a move would depend on democratic reforms, including the Palestinian Authority holding elections next year without Hamas. | Carney said such a move would depend on democratic reforms, including the Palestinian Authority holding elections next year without Hamas. |
| His remarks come a day after the UK announced it would recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agreed to a ceasefire and other conditions and a week after France made a similar announcement. | His remarks come a day after the UK announced it would recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agreed to a ceasefire and other conditions and a week after France made a similar announcement. |
| Israel's foreign ministry rejected Canada's announcement, calling it "a reward for Hamas". Most countries - 147 of the UN's 193 member states - formally recognise a Palestinian state. | Israel's foreign ministry rejected Canada's announcement, calling it "a reward for Hamas". Most countries - 147 of the UN's 193 member states - formally recognise a Palestinian state. |
| Carney said Canada would formally recognise the state of Palestine at the upcoming UN General Assembly. | Carney said Canada would formally recognise the state of Palestine at the upcoming UN General Assembly. |
| He cited the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, and the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel by Hamas as reasons behind Canada's dramatic shift in foreign policy. | He cited the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, and the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel by Hamas as reasons behind Canada's dramatic shift in foreign policy. |
| "The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable and it is rapidly deteriorating," Carney told reporters on Wednesday. | "The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable and it is rapidly deteriorating," Carney told reporters on Wednesday. |
| What does recognising a Palestinian state mean? | What does recognising a Palestinian state mean? |
| Bowen: UK move to recognise Palestinian state is a diplomatic crowbar to revive peace process | Bowen: UK move to recognise Palestinian state is a diplomatic crowbar to revive peace process |
| Freed hostage says Starmer 'risks rewarding terror' | Freed hostage says Starmer 'risks rewarding terror' |
| He said a recognition of Palestinian statehood would hinge on commitments by the Palestinian Authority to fundamentally reform its governance, to hold general elections in 2026 without Hamas and to demilitarise the territory. | He said a recognition of Palestinian statehood would hinge on commitments by the Palestinian Authority to fundamentally reform its governance, to hold general elections in 2026 without Hamas and to demilitarise the territory. |
| Canada had long been committed to a two-state solution as part of a negotiated peace process, Carney said, but he added that "this approach is no longer tenable". | Canada had long been committed to a two-state solution as part of a negotiated peace process, Carney said, but he added that "this approach is no longer tenable". |
| "The prospect of a Palestinian state is being eroded before our eyes," he said. | "The prospect of a Palestinian state is being eroded before our eyes," he said. |
| Carney added that he had spoken with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas earlier on Wednesday about the announcement. | Carney added that he had spoken with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas earlier on Wednesday about the announcement. |
| The Palestinian Authority controls parts of the West Bank through the Fatah party, led by Abbas, while Hamas runs Gaza. Neither territory has held an election since 2006. | The Palestinian Authority controls parts of the West Bank through the Fatah party, led by Abbas, while Hamas runs Gaza. Neither territory has held an election since 2006. |
| Carney's announcement was criticised by Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. | Carney's announcement was criticised by Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. |
| It said in a post on X that Canada's plan "harms the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of the hostages". | It said in a post on X that Canada's plan "harms the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of the hostages". |
| Canada's Conservatives also took issue with Carney's announcement. | Canada's Conservatives also took issue with Carney's announcement. |
| "Recognising a Palestinian state in the aftermath of the October 7 terrorist atrocities sends the wrong message to the world," the opposition party said in a statement. | "Recognising a Palestinian state in the aftermath of the October 7 terrorist atrocities sends the wrong message to the world," the opposition party said in a statement. |
| Watch: BBC presses UK foreign secretary on timing of recognising Palestinian state | Watch: BBC presses UK foreign secretary on timing of recognising Palestinian state |
| The prime minister has been under pressure to address Palestinian statehood since the UK and France - close allies of Canada - came out with their own statements on the issue in recent days. | The prime minister has been under pressure to address Palestinian statehood since the UK and France - close allies of Canada - came out with their own statements on the issue in recent days. |
| Nearly 200 former Canadian ambassadors and diplomats signed a letter on Tuesday calling on Carney to recognise a Palestinian state. | Nearly 200 former Canadian ambassadors and diplomats signed a letter on Tuesday calling on Carney to recognise a Palestinian state. |
| The letter, shared with Canadian media outlets on Wednesday, said Israel's actions in the West Bank and Gaza violated Canada's interests and values. | The letter, shared with Canadian media outlets on Wednesday, said Israel's actions in the West Bank and Gaza violated Canada's interests and values. |
| Canada's principles, it said, "are being abandoned daily with the massive displacement, indiscriminate bombardment and starvation of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the violent attacks by extremist settlers in the West Bank". | Canada's principles, it said, "are being abandoned daily with the massive displacement, indiscriminate bombardment and starvation of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the violent attacks by extremist settlers in the West Bank". |
| Recognition of a Palestinian state, the letter added, "will not only reinforce our long-standing commitment to the self-determination of the Palestinian people but also our total rejection of any effort to displace or expel Palestinians". | Recognition of a Palestinian state, the letter added, "will not only reinforce our long-standing commitment to the self-determination of the Palestinian people but also our total rejection of any effort to displace or expel Palestinians". |
| Asked whether Canada was influenced by the UK and France making a similar move, Carney responded that his country reached the decision independently. | Asked whether Canada was influenced by the UK and France making a similar move, Carney responded that his country reached the decision independently. |
| But he added that Canada was "part of a growing and very significant international community that is leaning against" efforts to undermine a future Palestinian state. | But he added that Canada was "part of a growing and very significant international community that is leaning against" efforts to undermine a future Palestinian state. |
| Carney also said Canada made its own foreign policy decisions, when asked whether he had consulted US President Donald Trump about the announcement. | Carney also said Canada made its own foreign policy decisions, when asked whether he had consulted US President Donald Trump about the announcement. |
| In intending to recognise a Palestinian state, Canada now moves closer to the position of its European allies. | In intending to recognise a Palestinian state, Canada now moves closer to the position of its European allies. |
| If France and the UK do formally recognise Palestinian statehood, the US - a strong ally of Israel - will be the only permanent member of the UN Security Council not to do so. | If France and the UK do formally recognise Palestinian statehood, the US - a strong ally of Israel - will be the only permanent member of the UN Security Council not to do so. |
| The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. | The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. |
| At least 60,034 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Some 154, including 89 children, have died from malnutrition, the health ministry said. |