Canada to Recognize Palestinian State at UN in September, Drawing Swift Israeli Rebuke
by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Wednesday that Canada will officially recognize a Palestinian state during the United Nations General Assembly in September, aligning with a growing number of Western nations breaking from longstanding diplomatic policy. The move drew immediate condemnation from Israel and raised concerns in Washington about rewarding the terror group Hamas amid ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Carney said the recognition is conditional on the Palestinian Authority implementing a sweeping series of reforms, including general elections scheduled for 2026, anti-corruption measures, and a clear commitment to a demilitarized state in which Hamas would be excluded. “Much has to happen before a democratic viable state is established,” Carney acknowledged. “But the possibility of a two-state solution is literally receding before our eyes.”
The prime minister cited what he described as an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, Israel’s continued settlement expansion, and recent Knesset votes advocating for West Bank annexation as contributing factors in Canada’s decision. “Canada condemns the fact that the Israeli government has allowed a catastrophe to unfold in Gaza,” he stated.
Carney stressed that while Canada remains firmly committed to Israel’s security and right to exist in peace, a viable Palestinian state is essential for any lasting peace. “Canada will always steadfastly support Israel’s existence… However, any path to lasting peace for Israel also requires a viable and stable Palestinian state,” he said.
The reaction from Jerusalem was swift and severe. Israel’s Foreign Ministry rejected Canada’s announcement, declaring that it undermines ongoing ceasefire negotiations and emboldens Hamas. “The change in the position of the Canadian government at this time is a reward for Hamas and harms the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of the hostages,” the ministry posted on X.
Iddo Moed, Israel’s ambassador to Canada, warned that the recognition legitimizes Hamas’ “monstrous barbarity.” “We will not sacrifice our very existence by permitting the imposition of a jihadist state on our ancestral homeland,” he said.
Carney said he had personally spoken with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who welcomed the announcement as a “historic” step. According to the PA’s official Wafa news agency, Abbas praised Canada’s move as a contribution to “peace, stability, and security in the region.”
The decision places Canada among several key Western allies–including France, the United Kingdom, and Malta–that have recently declared intentions to recognize Palestinian statehood. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that Britain would do so in September unless Israel halts its military operations in Gaza and recommits to a viable peace process. French President Emmanuel Macron made a similar pledge last week, calling recognition an urgent step toward peace.
However, the growing international momentum has not translated into unanimous support. Germany and Italy have rejected calls for recognition, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni calling such moves “counterproductive.” European analysts remain divided on the impact. Pascaline Wagemans, director at the European Leadership Network, said the recognitions are largely “symbolic” and risk “undermining negotiations and rewarding terrorism, especially October 7.”
In the U.S., President Donald Trump has reiterated that he will not recognize a Palestinian state, maintaining that such a move would reward Hamas. “President Trump’s focus is on getting people fed,” a White House official stated, noting that the administration is working on an expanded humanitarian aid plan for Gaza but will not support recognition without meaningful Palestinian reforms and the complete disarmament of Hamas.
As diplomatic lines harden ahead of September’s UN summit, the question remains whether symbolic gestures will bring peace closer–or push a two-state solution further out of reach.
Prophetic Significance
While many call for peace through a two-state solution, prophecy teachers often highlight a sobering warning from the book of Joel: the nations are brought to judgment because they “divided” the land (Joel 3:2) — a land God explicitly gave to the descendants of Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 26:1-6; Genesis 28:13-14; Genesis 25:10-12; Psalms 105:8-11 ) For those attuned to biblical prophecy, how this pursuit of peace unfolds carries deep and potentially dramatic prophetic significance. This is further underscored by Jesus’ command to “learn the parable of the fig tree,” widely understood as a symbol of Israel. Just as the fig tree produces early fruit in the spring and ripens fully by the fall harvest, prophecy watchers see a pattern: Israel’s modern rebirth and eventual spiritual harvest align with God’s redemptive timeline. The budding of the fig tree signals that the season is near, calling us to be alert to the times.
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