Canada now officially recognizes the State of Palestine and is doing so with international partners to preserve the prospect of a two-state solution, according to a statement from Prime Minister Mark Carney's office released Sunday morning.
"Over many decades, Canada's commitment to [a two-state solution] was premised on the expectation that this outcome would eventually be achieved as part of a negotiated settlement," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.
However, that possibility "has been steadily and gravely eroded" by several developments, including the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, the Israeli parliament's resolution supporting annexation of the occupied West Bank and the Israeli government's restrictions on humanitarian aid.
"Hamas has terrorized the people of Israe