Earlier today, French President Emmanuel Macron took a brave and important step by announcing France’s intention to recognize Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly this September.
Since February 2024, JSpaceCanada has called on the Government of Canada to recognize the State of Palestine as a meaningful step toward advancing regional peace. We have specifically urged Canada to do so in coordination with G7 and other Western allies.
With France now committed to this course of action, we encourage Prime Minister Mark Carney to follow suit. In his statement earlier today, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada’s support for a two-state solution and pledged to work intensively to help achieve it.
However, as the Israeli government signals its continued intent to annex large areas of the occupied West Bank, and fails to prevent the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including the withholding of significant Canadian-funded aid, which is contributing to the starvation of civilians in violation of international law, it has become regrettably clear that the current Israeli leadership is not committed to negotiating a lasting peace based on a two-state framework.
Given this rejectionism, and the worsening situation for Palestinians in both the occupied West Bank and the besieged Gaza Strip, it is time for Canada to move beyond words and take concrete action to preserve the viability of a two-state outcome, consistent with its longstanding foreign policy.
We commend President Macron for this significant move and reiterate our belief that a two-state solution remains the only just and sustainable resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is now incumbent upon Canada’s leaders to take similarly courageous steps.