The Canadian Prime Minister says Hamas cannot play a role in the future of Palestine or participate in possible elections in 2026.
Canada has joined several Western countries to announce its intention to recognize a Palestinian state in the midst of continuous Israeli atrocities which take place in Gaza.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney made this announcement on Wednesday.
He explained that Ottawa had hoped that a solution to two states could be obtained thanks to a negotiated peace process, but this approach was no longer “more tenable”.
“Canada intends to recognize the state of Palestine in the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025,” Carney told journalists.
This decision follows a similar announcement from the United Kingdom and France at the beginning of the month.
But it is not clear how such recognitions will have an impact on the current war of Israel in Gaza and the expansion of the illegal colonies in the West Bank – the two territories which would form a Palestinian State.
Carney said that recognition is based on promises to reform the Palestinian Authority and President Mahmoud Abbas, as well as the commitment to organize general elections in 2026.
He stressed that Hamas cannot play any role in the future of Palestine and would not be authorized to participate in future elections, a condition that some support can hinder any democratic process.
“Preserving a solution to two states means standing with all those who choose peace rather than violence or terrorism,” said Carney.
The United States rejects recognition from Palestine
The United States, the best ally of Israel, has rejected the measures to recognize a Palestinian state, saying that politics rewards Hamas.
Earlier this month, American president Donald Trump rejected his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, when the latter announced his intention to recognize Palestine.
“What he says doesn’t matter,” said Trump about Macron. “It won’t change anything.”
On Tuesday, he also opposed the decision of the United Kingdom, saying that the question did not show up during his meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland.
“You might argue that you reward people, reward Hamas if you do this. I don’t think they should be rewarded. I’m not in this camp to be honest,” said Trump.
The Trump administration was without compromise in its support for Israel, despite the accusations of the United Nations experts and rights groups that the American ally commits a genocide against the Palestinians.
The Israeli army has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians in Gaza and flattened most of the territory since the start of the war in 2023.
Call for sanctions
Last year, Canada announced that it would cease to issue new permits for arms exports to Israel in the midst of concerns concerning human rights violations.
But earlier this week, a coalition of advocacy groups published a report based on Israeli tax files, revealing new details indicating that weapons have continued to be sent to Israel.
Groups have accused the Canadian government of building a “network of lies” to protect themselves from criticism and called Ottawa to cancel all export permits for existing weapons to Israel.
On Wednesday, the National Canadian Muslims Council welcomed Carney’s announcement, but called on Canada to take other practical measures to stop the Israel Assault on Gaza.
He compared Israel’s actions in Gaza to Trump’s pressure campaign to make Canada the 51st state in the United States.
“Canada must continue to endure our values to stimulate an independent foreign policy, in particular as the same Trump administration which supports the annexation of Gaza also threatens Canada of the ideas of a 51st state,” the group said in a statement.
“This means that Canada must apply new sanctions within the Netanyahu government, impose a complete double-meaning weapons embargo on the army (Israeli military), examine the Canadian-Israeli free trade agreement and provide better assistance to those who escape Gaza to meet with your loved ones here in Canada.”
