Canada’s overdue commitment to recognize the State of Palestine is a first step; much more is needed

Prime Minister Carney’s announcement that Canada will, at the UN General Assembly in September, recognize the State of Palestine is staggeringly overdue, but certainly very welcome. Statehood is about finally acknowledging the identity, dignity, aspirations, humanity, rights and existence of the Palestinian people. It is about upholding their foundational right to self determination, which applies universally to ALL OF US (there is no Palestine exception), and is unequivocally and prominently enshrined in international law. This never should have been a debate, never should have been an issue and never should have been withheld. That it has been is rooted in colonialism and racism that shames us all.

This is also about setting a genuine path (the only path in fact) to lasting peace and sustainable security for Palestinians and Israelis alike. For this is the path grounded in respect for human rights, always the best guarantor of peace and security.

There truly can be no conditions that attach to upholding a right so fundamental as this, which is where the UK gets it so entirely wrong.

Canada's insistence that this is predicated on democracy flourishing in Palestine may offer simplistic, stirring and encouraging words. But, truly, in what universe -- where genocide has yet to abate and lives, institutions, buildings and infrastructure have been destroyed and flattened in Gaza at a scale none of us could begin to shoulder and cope with in our own lives, and extremist settlers continue to maraud, kill and dispossess Palestinian villagers from their homes and land in the West Bank -- is there the slightest prospect of free and fair elections in 2026. Standing with the Palestinian people as their statehood grows and flourishes has to be a much more meaningful and complicated journey, and one that must always put their rights at the forefront. They are owed that and so very much more.

This is not a moment for us to sit back with false pride that Canada has now done the right thing for Palestinians. In fact all we have done is take a first step (or more to the point, signaled that we intend to take that first step in six weeks or so) that we should have taken decades ago.

On that point, the 532 law professors, lawyers, academics, former ambassadors, and civil society, labour and faith leaders who wrote to Prime Minister Carney almost eight weeks ago, laying out urgent recommendations (obligations in fact) for Canadian action, are still waiting for acknowledgement, let alone a reply.