Canada and Malta became the latest countries on Wednesday to announce their intent to recognize the State of Palestine at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly this September.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that Ottawa would formally recognize Palestine, contingent on the Palestinian Authority meeting several conditions. These include holding democratic elections in 2026, implementing political reforms, demilitarizing security forces, and excluding Hamas from governance.
Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela made a similar announcement on the same day, confirming that Malta would also recognize Palestine in September. Unlike Canada, Malta did not attach any conditions to the move. However, Abela previously pledged recognition in June but delayed the announcement, citing the regional situation—leading some analysts to express skepticism about the follow-through this time.
Canada and Malta join France and the United Kingdom in declaring their intent to recognize Palestinian statehood in September. French President Emmanuel Macron has not publicly tied any conditions to France’s recognition, whereas UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said Britain will only move forward if Israel has not ended its military operations in Gaza by then.
The announcements followed a two-day United Nations conference focused on the two-state solution in the Middle East. At its conclusion, the foreign ministers of 15 countries released a joint declaration known as the “New York Call,” urging global recognition of Palestine and calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Signatories included Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, and Spain.
As of now, 46 of the UN’s 193 member states do not recognize Palestine—most of them concentrated in the Western bloc. Analysts view this growing momentum among European and Western nations, including two permanent members of the UN Security Council, as a significant shift away from the long-standing tradition of unconditional support for Israel. Many attribute this policy evolution to mounting public backlash over the war in Gaza and Israel's declining support in Western countries, including the United States.