Canada and Malta have officially announced their intent to recognise the State of Palestine, joining a growing bloc of countries including the United Kingdom and France. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared the decision on Wednesday, saying his government would formalise recognition at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
“The prospect of a Palestinian state is being eroded before our eyes,” Carney said, emphasising that the time for waiting on a negotiated solution had passed. “Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed. Thousands more are on the brink of famine. Canada condemns the fact that the Israeli government has let the situation deteriorate in Gaza to this extent.”
Malta echoed the move, reiterating its support for a two-state solution and aligning with European states increasingly alarmed by the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s war began in October 2023, according to local officials. A UN-backed report confirms famine has taken hold in much of Gaza, with children acutely malnourished and humanitarian aid still largely blocked.
Break With Washington
The announcement marks a serious divergence from the United States, where President Donald Trump continues to defend Israel’s actions. In a post on his social media platform, Trump warned: “Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them.”
His envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, is expected in Israel shortly, even as the Trump administration refuses to participate in international efforts toward a ceasefire or post-war planning for Gaza.
The US has rejected Palestinian statehood recognition, claiming it “rewards Hamas.” Yet it has failed to provide a vision for post-war governance beyond calls to eliminate Hamas — a stance increasingly seen as a deflection from the devastation unfolding on the ground.
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Meanwhile, Israel’s ambassador to Canada dismissed the recognition as “distorted pressure.” Israel continues its military operations in Gaza, now controlling roughly two-thirds of the territory, while far-right members of Netanyahu’s coalition push for permanent occupation and the displacement of Palestinians.
Europe Draws a Moral Line
The famine unfolding in Gaza has catalysed a major shift in European policy. The so-called “New York Call,” led by France and Saudi Arabia, has brought together 15 nations, including Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland, many of whom now support recognition of Palestine as an urgent moral imperative.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the scenes in Gaza as “horrific,” and said that starvation and the targeting of civilians seeking aid had become a line that Western democracies could no longer ignore.
Crucially, the French and British recognitions — and now Canada’s and Malta’s — do not come unconditionally. Carney noted that Palestine must commit to reforms, including elections in 2026 excluding Hamas and a demilitarised state framework. Still, the diplomatic weight of these recognitions signals that global patience with Israel’s tactics is waning fast.
Global Realignment on Palestine
The international recognition of Palestine now appears to be accelerating, even as Washington resists. European nations, supported by Gulf Arab states, are crafting a post-war roadmap with the Palestinian Authority at its centre.
For decades, Western nations insisted that Palestinian statehood must be the end result of negotiations. That framework has collapsed. With the United States absent and Israel refusing accountability, countries like Canada and Malta are taking a stand — one rooted in human rights, legality, and moral urgency.
The UN conference in September may mark a turning point — not only in the fate of Palestine, but in the credibility of the international community itself.