The 'fruits of October 7': Jewish groups say Carney recognizing Palestinian state will worsen hostilities

Jewish advocacy groups say that Canada recognizing a Palestinian state would embolden terrorist group Hamas and pose a threat to Canadian values.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said late in July that he intended to recognize Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly in a speech on Sept. 27. An updated schedule this week shows that instead Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is scheduled to address the assembly on Sept. 29.

“We’ve seen, in the wake of the government’s announcement on this, an upsurge in activities targeting Jewish communities,” Noah Shack, the CEO of advocacy group Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), told National Post.

“Here in Canada, we’ve seen synagogues vandalized from Victoria to Halifax , Jewish Canadians assaulted in Edmonton, Ottawa, Montreal and Saint John, and an overall escalation in the tensions that we’re facing here.”

On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists murdered 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages in an attack that has sparked ongoing conflict in the Middle East. According to Statistics Canada , there was an increase in police-reported hate crimes in Canada in 2023, and 70 per cent of the ones that targeted a religion were directed at Jews. In 2024, Jewish advocacy group B’nai Brith Canada recorded the highest number of antisemitic incidents — 6,219 —   since it started documenting them in 1982.

Carney said his intention to recognize Palestinian statehood “was predicated on the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to much-needed reforms,” including a commitment by Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, to hold general elections in 2026, the release of the hostages, and Hamas stepping down. Abbas does not control Gaza, and has not held elections since 2006. On Friday, The Canadian Press reported that Anand said there would not be an immediate normalization of diplomatic ties with the Palestinian Authority.

“Hamas has stated that this recognition is one of the fruits of October 7 and have called for an escalation of resistance activities around the world, with Canadian organizations taking up that call,” Shack said.

Recognizing Palestinian statehood “does nothing to bring the hostages home or come to an ultimate resolution of this conflict,” he said, adding that it was a challenge to understand why Canada was making the decision right now, “given that we’re facing this significant crisis coming up on two years” of hostages remaining in captivity.

As of September, 48 hostages remain, according to the American Jewish Committee, and 20 are believed to be alive, CNN reported .

“That should be a primary objective of the Government of Canada, not a secondary one, right?” he said.

But the move doesn’t only affect the Jewish community, Michael Westcott told National Post. Westcott is the CEO of Allies for a Strong Canada, an organization dedicated to combatting antisemitism in the country.

“It sends a message both to Canada’s enemies abroad and to the people who are actively and vocally supporting groups like Hamas on the streets in Canada right now that what they are doing is working. And not only should they keep up their harassment of the Jewish community, but they should keep up their harassment of Canadians,” said Westcott.

He referenced the closure of the constituency office of Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand in Oakville, Ont. According to the office’s manager, Elizabeth Chalmers, it was closed in late July out of “concerns for security” of staff due to ongoing anti-Israel protests taking place outside, local media outlet Oakville Beaver reported .

“That’s what terrorism is. It is breaking the law and harassing people to affect policy changes, and that’s what they’re getting. So, you’re sending a message to the wrong people that their efforts are working,” Westcott said.

“It’s not in Canada’s international interests (to recognize Palestinian statehood), and it will help nobody. This won’t be good for the people of Gaza. There is no plan to remove Hamas. Hamas has said repeatedly that they will not disarm. They will not leave Gaza.”

The message that Carney is sending, “not only to Jewish Canadians, but to anyone who is concerned with upholding Canadian values like the rule of law,” is that certain groups can “break the law with impunity” and get rewarded.

“That tells me that Mark Carney doesn’t stand for Canadian values,” he said. “We all deserve to live in peace and safety.”

• 'Allah will burn them': What pro-Palestinian students and allies say when they think no one is watching
• David J. Bercuson: By recognizing 'Palestine,' Carney upends 80 years of Canadian foreign policy

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