Global shift as Canada and Australia follow UK in recognising State of Palestine
Announcing the decision on Sunday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada has always supported the idea of Palestine and Israel living side by side in peace.
Canada and Australia have joined the UK in formally recognising the State of Palestine, even as Israel intensifies its offensive on Gaza. Leaders from both countries said the move is intended to revive hopes for a two-state solution as the war in Gaza escalates.
The two-state proposal envisions an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital, existing alongside Israel.
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Announcing the decision on Sunday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada has always supported the idea of Palestine and Israel living side by side in peace.
Vision steadily undermined
However, Carney warned that this vision has been steadily undermined by ongoing violence, the rise of Hamas, and extreme Israeli settlement policies.
According to him, Canada and its allies are moving forward with recognition now to preserve the possibility of two states “before it disappears completely.”
The Canadian PM emphasised that the decision is not a reward for Hamas but rather a way to strengthen the Palestinian Authority, which has pledged reforms, elections in 2026, and steps toward demilitarisation.
"Recognising the State of Palestine, led by the Palestinian Authority, empowers those who seek peaceful coexistence and the end of Hamas. This in no way legitimises terrorism, nor is it any reward for it," Carney said in the statement, seen by The Eastleigh Voice.
Direct commitments
"The Palestinian Authority has provided direct commitments to Canada and the international community on much-needed reforms, including to fundamentally reform its governance, to hold general elections in 2026 in which Hamas can play no part, and to demilitarise the Palestinian state."
Earlier in the day, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Canberra had also formally recognised the State of Palestine.
In a joint statement with Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Albanese said the move was aimed at restoring momentum toward peace, beginning with a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages.
"Australia recognises the legitimate and long-held aspirations of the people of Palestine to a state of their own," the pair said.
"Today's act of recognition reflects Australia's longstanding commitment to a two-state solution, which has always been the only path to enduring peace and security for the Israeli and the Palestinian people."
The current conflict in Gaza was triggered by Hamas’s deadly October 7, 2023 attacks, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel and saw some 250 taken hostage.
Since then, Israel’s offensive has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, displaced hundreds of thousands, and left much of Gaza in ruins.
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