Prime Minister Carney Provides a Gift to Palestinian Terrorists

Prime Minister Carney’s disgraceful statement rationalizing Canada’s recognition of the so-called “State of Palestine” indulges in moral relativism, untruths, contradictions, and wishful thinking. He issued this statement in advance of the United Nations General Assembly’s “High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution,” co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia.

Here are Prime Minister Carney’s rationalizations with my annotations in italics:

“Since 1947, it has been the policy of every Canadian government to support a two-state solution for lasting peace in the Middle East. This envisioned the creation of a sovereign, democratic, and viable State of Palestine building its future in peace and security alongside the State of Israel.”

The Palestinians, along with neighboring Arab nations, rejected the UN General Assembly’s 1947 partition resolution – the original two-state solution – which the leadership of the nascent Jewish state were willing to accept. Instead, the Palestinians and their allies attacked Israel upon its creation, hoping to drive the Jews into the sea. They failed. From the start, the Palestinians were not interested in “a two-state solution for lasting peace in the Middle East.

“Over many decades, Canada’s commitment to this goal was premised on the expectation that this outcome would be eventually achieved as part of a negotiated settlement. Regrettably, this possibility has been steadily and gravely eroded, including by:

• “the ever-present threat posed by Hamas terrorism to Israel and its people, culminating in the heinous terrorist attack of October 7, 2023, and Hamas’ long-standing violent rejection of Israel’s right to exist and a two-state solution.”

This is true.

• “the accelerated construction of settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and, meanwhile, the rise in settler violence against Palestinians has soared. Actions such as the E1 Settlement Plan and this year’s vote by the Knesset calling for the annexation of the West Bank.”

While the actions recited above do not in themselves advance the possibility of a bilateral negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinian leadership, they are not the reason “this possibility has been steadily and gravely eroded.” These actions are responses to decades of Palestinian rejectionism, marked by repeated acts of terrorism against innocent Israeli civilians.

The fault lies with the Palestinian leaders’ repeated rejections of two-state solution offers by Israel over the years that would have given the Palestinians virtually all the territory they were seeking, with some land exchanges. And instead of seizing the opportunity Israel provided the Palestinians to create and peacefully develop their own prototype state in Gaza after Israel unilaterally withdrew its military forces and settlers in 2005, Hamas turned Gaza into a terrorist haven. They used Gaza as a launching pad to attack innocent Israeli civilians inside Israel, culminating in the horrific genocidal massacres, rapes, and abductions on October 7, 2023.

• “the Israeli government’s participation in the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, including by preventing access to food and other essential humanitarian items.”

Hamas is responsible for the humanitarian disaster in Gaza by refusing to release all the remaining hostages, living and dead, and by refusing to lay down their weapons, which would end the war immediately. Hamas has looted convoys carrying food and other necessities. Israel, on the other hand, has opened up entry points and safe passage for the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gazans in need. Israel has also supported the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which has delivered lifesaving aid to those in need with protection from Palestinian terrorist attacks.

“Hamas has terrorized the Israeli people and oppressed the people of Gaza, causing horrific suffering. Hamas must release all hostages, disarm completely, and play no role in the future governance of Palestine. Hamas has robbed the Palestinian people, deprived them of their lives and freedom, and cannot dictate their future.”

These sentences are true. But by recognizing a Palestinian state before Hamas releases all hostages, fully disarms, and is precluded from having any role in a future Palestinian government, Prime Minister Carney’s premature recognition of a Palestinian state is putting the cart before the horse.

“The current Israeli government is methodically taking steps to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state. It is relentlessly pursuing the expansion of West Bank settlements, which is illegal under international law. Its continued aggression against Gaza has killed tens of thousands of civilians, displaced over a million people, and caused a devastating famine that could have been avoided and constitutes a violation of international law. The current Israeli government now loudly maintains that ‘there will be no State of Palestine.’”

October 7, 2023 was a watershed moment for Israel. It foreshadows what would happen on steroids if Israel were to allow there to be an adjacent state that takes no responsibility for the armed terrorists within its borders and even pays the terrorists and their families. The Palestinians had a chance to prove that they could govern a state responsibly when Israel handed Gaza over to them unilaterally with no strings attached. We all know how that turned out. Israel has no legal or moral obligation to sign the death warrants of its own people.

“It is in this context that Canada recognizes the State of Palestine and offers to work in partnership to carry forward the promise of a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel. Canada sees this as part of a concerted international effort to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution. Canada is under no illusion that this recognition is not a panacea. However, it is fully consistent with the principles of self-determination and fundamental human rights enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and with the policies advocated by Canada for generations.”

Until the Palestinians fulfill basic preconditions, there can be no chance of a durable and secure two-state solution that would fulfill “the promise of a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel.” The preconditions at minimum are the release of all the hostages, Hamas laying down all its weapons, a unified, reformed government with no role for Hamas, and defensible borders agreed upon in direct negotiations between the parties to the conflict.

“Recognition of a State of Palestine led by the Palestinian Authority provides additional tools to those who seek peaceful coexistence and the end of Hamas. It does not legitimize or condone terrorism. Moreover, it in no way compromises Canada’s unwavering support for the State of Israel, its people, and its security—security that can only be guaranteed through the achievement of a comprehensive two-state solution.”

Expecting that Israel’s security “can only be guaranteed through the achievement of a comprehensive two-state solution” for the foreseeable future is preposterous on its face for the reasons stated above. Unless and until Hamas and all other Palestinian terrorist organizations are and remain completely disarmed under a credible verification process and are ultimately abolished, recognizing a Palestinian state now is a gift to the terrorists.

“The Palestinian Authority has engaged directly with Canada and the international community to undertake essential reforms, including comprehensive governance reforms, holding general elections in 2026 in which Hamas can play no role, and demilitarizing the Palestinian state. Canada will intensify its efforts to assist the Palestinian Authority in implementing its reform agenda, for which progress has already been noted. Together with its international partners, Canada supports the development of a credible peace plan for Palestine and promotes democratic governance and clear measures to ensure its security, as well as the sustained and large-scale delivery of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza.”

The Palestinian Authority is hopelessly corrupt, with a weak president who has been in office for twenty years. Its word is not worth the paper it is written on. True democratic governance in a Palestinian state is an illusion.

In short, Prime Minister Carney, along with the leaders of other American allies who are jumping the gun with premature recognition of a Palestinian state, is throwing Israel under the bus to win plaudits in the pro-Palestinian globalist community.