Canada abstains on motion calling for Palestinian state

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OTTAWA – Canada abstained on a motion at the UN General Assembly Friday designed to move the international body towards recognizing Palestine as its own state.

The motion passed by a wide margin, with only the U.S., Israel and a handful of other countries opposing the move. The motion recognizes that Palestine is ready for admission to the UN. The UN Security Council has already rejected granting Palestine full diplomatic recognition and Friday’s vote calls on the Security Council to reconsider that choice.

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Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, denounced the vote, arguing the assembly was essentially rewarding Hamas for the October 7 attacks by giving a Palestinian state recognition.

“This day will go down in infamy. And I want the entire world to remember this moment to remember this immoral act,” he said.

Erdan then took out a small paper shredder and shredded pages from the UN charter.

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U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood said Friday that for the U.S. to support Palestinian statehood, direct negotiations must guarantee Israel’s security and future as a democratic Jewish state and that Palestinians can live in peace in a state of their own.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly released a statement on the social media platform X. She said Canada believes in a two-state solution as the only way to a lasting peace.

“We continue to believe in a two-state solution and a credible path should be built to achieve this,” she said. “That process cannot delay the creation of a Palestinian state.”

Canada currently recognizes the Palestinian Authority as the governmental entity covering the West Bank and Gaza, but doesn’t recognize a Palestinian state, though the official policy calls for one to be established.

“Canada has decided to change our position from no at the UN to abstaining, reflecting that our long-standing position that you could only recognize the state of Palestine as an outcome at the end of a process leading to a two-state solution, we now recognize that it may happen sooner than at the end of the process,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said following the vote.

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Joly added that Canada would recognize that state at the right time.

“​​Canada is prepared to recognize the State of Palestine at the time most favorable to a lasting peace, not at the last step along the path,” she said.

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In a more detailed statement released by Joly’s department, the government says it is clear that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has no interest in a two-state solution, but the Canadian government believes progress must be made on that path even without Israel.

It also says that the terrorist group Hamas should release all of the hostages taken on October 7, lay down its arms and that Palestinians deserve a government with no ties to a terrorist organization. The government also promised continued pressure on Iran, which has funded and helped train Hamas, that included sanctions announced on Friday against four new Iranians.

Earlier this year, the NDP and Liberals came together at the last minute to pass a motion in the House of Commons that called for work toward a Palestinian state.

The NDP, who proposed the motion initially, wanted Canada to immediately recognize the state of Palestine, but through negotiations with the Liberals it was reduced to a call for the government to work towards a just and lasting peace, including negotiations that would lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

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National Post, with additional reporting from The Associated Press