Canada’s Recognition of Palestine is Deeply Flawed

Canada’s new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, said he plans to recognize the State of Palestine at the next UN General Assembly in September. This plan is deeply flawed, will not help Palestinians, will not help Israelis, and will fail, for the following reasons;

1. Given the timing of Canada’s plans to recognize Palestine, it is very clearly just a punitive measure against Israel for continuing to fight in Gaza. Canada’s announcement came around the same time as the UK announced the same recognition, however British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was a bit more honest and candid than Carney. Starmer said that the UK will recognize Palestine unless Israel agrees to a Gaza ceasefire.

   So this recognition of Palestine is merely just to punish Israel for continuing to fight Hamas and for fighting for the release of the Israel hostages still held in Gaza.

2. Carney’s recognition of Palestine is based on Palestinian commitments to free elections in 2026, democratic reforms, demilitarization, and no Hamas role in the government. These conditions are great and will actually serve to benefit the Palestinian people, as well as the people of Israel. However again Carney shows his naivete and gullibility, as these are not pre-conditions to recognition but rather Carney will accept the promise of these future reforms as acceptable. These should be pre-conditions before recognition, especially considering that the Palestinian Authority has never shown any genuine interest in pursuing any of these reforms.

   So this recognition of Palestine is based on false promises of reform, rather than genuine reforms already taken by the Palestinian Authority.

3. Recognizing the State of Palestine will not benefit the Palestinian people. It will not benefit the people of Israel. It will not help the peace process. It will not save lives. The only party who benefits from this recognition will be Hamas. The mere talk of recognition is already emboldening Hamas. They have already increased their demands from Israel during ceasefire talks. They have since released hostage videos – one showing a severely starved and emaciated Israeli hostage being forced to dig his own grave for a mock execution. And as a result, a ceasefire and a peace settlement are now further away, not closer.

   So this recognition of Palestine will not benefit anyone but Hamas. And it will make the chances of peace less likely.

4. Carney’s statement and actions are actually a breach of international law. Canada is a signatory to the Montevideo Convention – an international agreement governing the theory of statehood. The convention defines an independent state, and 2 of the crucial elements are a defined territory, and a functioning government.

   The last time Israel and the Palestinian Authority agreed to defined territorial lines was during the Olso Accords in 1993 and 1995. However a lot has changed in the last 30 years and the borders of the 2 nations are still undefined and often fluid. There is no formally defined border.

   The Palestinians do not have a functioning government at all. The Palestinian Authority is the primary government in the West Bank, having last held elections in 2006. Hamas was the last acting government in Gaza, although Israel is now temporarily ruling Gaza while hunting Hamas. It is unclear who will replace Hamas in ruling Gaza going forward.

   The Palestinian Authority does not have a lot of influence nor popularity amongst Palestinians. And most polls suggest if there were free elections in the West Bank today, Hamas would win.

   So Carney’s move is a breach of the Montevideo Convention, and will only serve to benefit Hamas – which Canada has designated terrorist organization.

5. Canada has her own sovereignty and separatist movement issues, namely from Alberta and Quebec. How would Canada respond if other nations suddenly recognize the independent states of Alberta and Quebec? While these separatist movements as small and unlikely to succeed anytime soon, I am certain Carney would not voluntarily let them cede without a negotiated separation. This highlights the importance of diplomacy and a two-state agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

I believe that one of the greatest sources of strength, prosperity, and peace for Israel – and the whole Middle East – will be a Palestinian state, however it must first be peaceful, democratic(ish), governable, and demilitarized.

Mark Carney’s moves will not help anyone but Hamas. It will not help Palestinians. It will not help Israelis. It will not help Canadians. It will not help the peace process. It is deeply foolish.