Canada backs Palestinian Statehood at UN, citing commitment to reforms.

Canadian Prime Mark Carney announces that Canada will officially recognize Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September, intensifying diplomatic pressure on Israel

Canada backs Palestinian Statehood at UN, citing commitment to reforms.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Wednesday that Canada will officially recognize the State of Palestine during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September. 

The move aligns Canada with France and the United Kingdom, both of which declared recognition earlier this month.

"This intention is based on the Palestinian Authority's commitment to essential reforms, including the promise of its President Mahmoud Abbas to hold general elections in 2026 and not to militarize the Palestinian state," Carney stated during a press conference in Ottawa, appearing alongside Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand.

Carney did not shy away from addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. "The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable and is getting worse," he said, placing blame on Israel for allowing the situation to "deteriorate."

The announcement comes amid growing domestic and international pressure on the Canadian government. Earlier Wednesday, 173 former Canadian ambassadors and senior diplomats issued an open letter urging the prime minister to recognize Palestinian statehood. The letter stressed that "Israel does not have the right to veto the recognition of Palestine.

France, the first G7 country to declare recognition, was followed by the UK just a day before Canada's announcement. 

The coordinated move by three major Western powers marks a turning point in the global diplomatic landscape and increases pressure on other G7 nations to take a stance.