Canada plans to recognize Palestinian state in September, Carney says

Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada will recognize a Palestinian state in September if the West Bank's governing body agrees to certain conditions.

The prime minister said the Palestinian Authority must hold an election in 2026 and commit to other democratic reforms.

Carney's announcement came after he spoke to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas earlier Wednesday — and follows similar commitments from other allied countries in the past week.

He said Canada would formally recognize the state of Palestine at the UN General Assembly.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Tuesday the U.K. will also recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza, allows the UN to bring in aid and takes other steps toward long-term peace.

France announced a similar plan last week, but without conditions.

In the past week, a number of Liberal MPs have called on Canada to follow France's lead.

Toronto MP Salma Zahid and Montreal-area MP Sameer Zuberi said in social media posts that Canada must join France in announcing its recognition of a state for the Palestinian people.

Fares Al Soud, who represents the Toronto-area riding of Mississauga Centre, said on social media that justice for the Palestinian people "demands recognition."

Last fall, dozens of MPs from the Liberals, NDP, Bloc Québécois and Green Party joined an international call for the recognition a Palestinian state.

Canada has for decades been among those calling for the eventual creation of a Palestinian country that would exist in peace alongside Israel.

Carney was joined by Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, who announced $10 million to "to accelerate reform and capacity-building for the Palestinian Authority" earlier this week.

Anand's announcement was made at a major UN conference — convened by France and Saudi Arabia — to find ways to preserve the two-state solution.