Excellencies. President Macron. Prime Minister Burnham. Prince Faisal. Secretary-General. Friends.
Canada’s position on the two-state solution – for lasting peace in the Middle East – is longstanding and resolute. Our policy is as old as this institution. Over eight decades, my predecessors have stood at the United Nations to affirm their support.
Our position is based on values that Canadians hold dear: the right for two peoples to live side by side, in peace and security, and the protection of civilians, children, and those who are vulnerable.
It is also based on the fundamental principles of self-determination and human rights set out in the Charter of the United Nations.
A year ago, under the leadership of Saudi Arabia and France, Canada joined international partners in recognising the State of Palestine.
That recognition, for Canada, was not without preconditions. The Palestinian Authority must reform its governance, demilitarise its state, and hold general elections. Hamas must completely disarm and play no role in the future governance of Palestine. Canada welcomes the progress on these reforms, including the scheduling of Legislative Council elections this fall.
We are here because we are clear about the facts on the ground and where things stand today. One year on, the prospect of a two-state solution remains distant.
In the West Bank, illegal settlement expansion, escalating extremist violence, and fiscal constraints undermine the Palestinian Authority’s ability to govern.
In Gaza, immense suffering continues. Over 8,500 more people have died since the last General Assembly – and the same number wounded. A generation faces lifelong scars of psychological and physical trauma. Gaza is now home to the greatest number of child amputees in modern history. Its hospitals, schools, and maternal clinics have all been destroyed and none have been rebuilt.
Meanwhile, Israelis continue to live with insecurity and face ongoing existential threats from Iran and its proxies.
The long-held international consensus for a two-state solution means nothing unless these conditions change.
So we are proud to work with partners in this room to help change this trajectory, and to act in whatever capacity we can to address these conditions.
On top of the $500 million we have committed to the crisis since 2023, we are announcing a further $100 million to address immediate and urgent human suffering and to support security capacity building.
We will continue to lead in training the Palestinian Authority’s security forces through Operation PROTEUS, and we stand ready to extend that support to Gaza when conditions permit.
We will work with others, including financially, to prepare for the elections, and to firmly anchor democratic principles in the institutions this autumn.
We join others in recognising the direct threat to peace posed by the Israeli government’s endorsement of the E1 settlement scheme, and, with reluctance, we have announced our intention to bring forward trade restrictions targeting goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements.
We will join others in additional pragmatic, practical action to preserve and advance the prospect of a two-state solution, and a durable peace for Israelis and Palestinians.
Thank you.