Canada will recognise Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September, the Canadian prime minister confirmed.
Canada’s Mark Carney said his country will recognise Palestine as a state unless Israel meets several conditions, including a long-term ceasefire.
The decision follows a similar announcement made by UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer earlier this week, prompted by a deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Mr Carney said Canada would follow the lead of other countries on the condition that the Palestinian Authority reforms its governance, holds a general election in 2026, and excludes Hamas from any future vote.
“We are working ourselves, with others, to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution, to not allow the facts on the ground, deaths on the ground, the settlements on the ground, the expropriations on the ground, to get to such an extent that this is not possible,” said Mr Carney.
He added that he “condemns the fact Israel has allowed a catastrophe to unfold in Gaza.”
Israel has responded via a statement from Israeli ambassador to Canada, Iddo Moed, who said they “will not bow to the distorted campaign of international pressure against it.”
“We will not sacrifice our very existence by permitting the imposition of a jihadist state on our ancestral homeland that seeks our annihilation,” he added.
Canada’s decision has also faced backlash from President Donald Trump who has warned that plans to recognise Palestine as a state could endanger future trade deals between the North American neighbours.
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is currently on the way to Israel.
Canada also co-signed the New York Call, a joint statement of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of 14 countries, published on Wednesday. Signatories include Andorra, Australia, Spain, Norway, and Portugal, all calling for an immediate ceasefire and release of all hostages.
Previously, Canada had said it would only recognise the state of Palestine at the conclusion of peace talks with Israel.
The UK has never previously set conditions and a timeline for the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Following a meeting with President Trump, Sir Keir said the UK would also recognise Palestine unless Israel took substantive steps “to end the appalling situation in Gaza”, lifted restrictions on aid access, and agreed to a long-term ceasefire.
According to The Times, around 38 members of the House of Lords have now written to the attorney general following the announcement, suggesting that recognising Palestine could be a breach of international law.
At the time of Sir Keir’s announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the UK of appeasing “jihadist terrorists.”
In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Netanyahu said: “Starmer rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism and punishes its victims.
“A jihadist state on Israel’s border TODAY will threaten Britain TOMORROW.”
Mr Carney and Sir Keir have confirmed that they have been in communication with one another, as reported by Sky News.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: "They discussed the grave situation in the Middle East and last night's action by the United States to tackle the severe threat posed by Iran's nuclear programme.
"Both reiterated their support for a diplomatic solution and agreed that Iran must come back to the negotiating table with the United States as soon as possible.
"They looked forward to continuing their discussions at NATO this week."
France has also announced its move to recognise Palestine as a state last week, making it the first G7 country to do so.
147 UN members already recognise Palestine as a state.
