Canada abstains from supporting Palestinian UN membership

Canada didn’t vote for or against Palestine joining the United Nations, along with 24 other countries.

On Friday, most countries in the UN agreed to let Palestine become a full member of the UN. Out of 193 countries, 143 said yes to the resolution.

Other countries like the UK and Switzerland also chose not to vote with Canada. The United States and Israel were two of nine countries that said no to the proposal.

Canada always supports a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. This has always been our stance. “Canada has chosen not to vote on the General Assembly resolution about stopping the two-state solution. ”

The statement said that both the leaders of Israel and Gaza are making it hard to reach a two-state solution, and that the chances for a lasting peace are not looking good.

Global Affairs Canada said the Netanyahu government has shown it doesn’t want a two-state solution. “At the same time, Hamas is in charge of some parts of Gaza, which is an important area for the future State of Palestine. ” Hamas still has hostages and has not stopped using weapons or fighting against Israel’s existence.

The issue will be discussed by the 15-member UN Security Council, but it is likely that the US will vote against it. The US said no to a resolution that was like this one in April.

Starting in September 2024, Palestinians will be able to sit with other UN members in the assembly hall. However, they won’t be allowed to vote. Even if the Security Council says no, Palestinians will still be allowed to sit in the assembly hall.

Palestinians have been allowed to attend and observe UN General Assembly meetings as a non-voting member since 2012. They are governed by the Palestinian Authority, which has some control over the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority used to control Gaza until 2007. That’s when Hamas took over after winning an election. Hamas started a violent attack on Israel on Oct 7, which led to the ongoing and destructive war in Gaza.

Global Affairs Canada thinks that Palestinians should keep working towards being able to make their own decisions. “All Palestinians should have a government that is fair and represents them, and not run by a group that uses violence. ”

Israel took control of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem after a war with its Arab neighbors in 1967. The UN has always supported the idea of a Palestinian state and Israel both having safe and acknowledged borders.

Global Affairs Canada said that we need to quickly make a plan to achieve the two-state solution. This plan should give both Palestinians and Israelis hope that they can live together peacefully, safely, and with respect. Canada is ready to acknowledge Palestine as a state when it is best for lasting peace, even if it’s not the final step.