The recent announcement by the Canadian government, led by Mark Carney, of its readiness to recognize a Palestinian state came with a list of six conditions.

At first glance, they might appear as guarantees of democratic stability and respect for international law. But on closer inspection, they reveal a deeply colonial framework, designed not to truly recognize Palestine but to preserve Israel’s hegemony and, with it, Canada’s alignment with imperial power in the Middle East.

1. Governance reforms: the colonizer’s accusatory finger

The first requirement is that the Palestinian Authority carry out “fundamental reforms” of its political system. Paradoxically, Canada constantly proclaims Israel’s “right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state.” A state that practices ethnic and religious segregation and has violated UN resolutions for decades. That a government allied with a colonizing power dictates conditions to the colonized is an insult and a clear act of colonial paternalism.

2. Elections in 2026 without Hamas: democracy under tutelage

The second condition requires that the general elections scheduled for 2026 exclude Hamas. Here, Canada assumes a right it would never tolerate for itself: direct interference in another people’s electoral process. Palestinian political representation must be decided by Palestinians alone. Would Canadians accept Russia or China banning political parties in their elections? This double standard shows that Ottawa does not seek democracy, but a compliant Palestinian government aligned with Israel.

3. Demilitarization: guaranteed submission

The third condition is that Palestine must become a demilitarized state. In other words, stripped of an army capable of ensuring sovereignty. This requirement exposes a clear strategy: to create a “buffer state” incapable of defending itself against a nuclear power like Israel. If justice were the true criterion, Canada would demand the complete disarmament of Israel, whose military apparatus has taken hundreds of thousands of Palestinian lives since 1947.

4. The trap of the “two-state solution”

The fourth condition revives the tired mantra of the “two-state solution”: a democratic, sovereign Palestinian state coexisting peacefully with Israel. Reality tells a different story. Netanyahu has repeatedly declared that he will never allow a Palestinian state. Meanwhile, genocide continues in Gaza and the West Bank. What will Canada do? Look the other way and continue collaborating with the occupation? An honest discussion should go further: why not one democratic state, with equal rights and the right of return for all refugees and displaced persons?

5. Human rights and self-determination: a blatant contradiction

The fifth condition claims to recognize the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, human rights, and international law. Yet it simultaneously undermines that right by conditioning Palestinian elections and denying them the ability to choose their own representatives and means of defense. At the same time, Canada continues to trade with Israel, violating its legal obligations not to contribute to international crimes. If it truly defended human rights, Ottawa would immediately suspend agreements with Israel and support a genuine process of decolonization and reparations.

6. The veto under the label of “terrorism”

Finally, Canada demands that any future Palestinian government reject “terrorism” and exclude Hamas. The problem lies in the opportunistic use of the word. The UN Charter recognizes the right of colonized peoples to fight for liberation “by all available means.” How are Palestinians supposed to resist decades of occupation, expulsions, and massacres? With press releases? The example of Nelson Mandela is telling: for decades he was labeled a “terrorist” by the U.S. and its allies, including Canada, before becoming a global symbol of freedom. Today the same stigma is used to delegitimize Palestinian resistance.

Conclusion: recognition as a mask

The six conditions imposed by Canada are not an act of solidarity with the Palestinian people. They are instead a roadmap for perpetuating subordination and maintaining Canada’s complicity with Israel’s occupation. Behind the rhetoric of “democracy,” “human rights,” and “peace,” lies a colonial policy that denies Palestinian sovereignty. If Canada truly wants justice and peace, it must immediately recognize the ongoing genocide, break all complicity with Israel, and support a full process of decolonization, guaranteeing the refugees’ right of return and equal rights for all inhabitants of historic Palestine.

https://www.cpac.ca/headline-politics/episode/activists-hold-a-news-conference-on-palestinian-statehood--september-18-2025?id=5413ed0c-124b-47c0-b9aa-be81557f75a6