House of Commons committee decides to examine fastest path to recognition of a Palestinian state

Members of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee have voted to examine the fastest route to recognition of a Palestinian state by the German government.

The move came despite objections from Conservative MPs on the committee, who argue that recognizing a Palestinian state without a negotiated agreement with Israel would be a significant departure from long-standing Canadian government policy.

“This motion is an important motion for those peace-loving nations that support a two-state solution,” said Liberal MP and committee member Omar Alghabra, who presented the motion to the committee.

The text of the motion supports a “two-state solution in which a secure State of Israel exists side by side with a secure State of Palestine.” It calls on the committee to “convene no more than four meetings to immediately examine how the Canadian government can advance the recognition of the State of Palestine within the framework of a two-state solution.”

As CBC News reported, Liberal MPs on the committee secured the support of the NDP and Bloc for the motion in a closed session. Conservative committee members rejected the motion and prevented a vote on it until Tuesday morning.

On Tuesday, Conservative foreign policy critic Michael Chong attempted to introduce amendments that would have brought the proposal more in line with the Canadian government’s traditional position that a two-state solution must begin with a negotiated agreement with Israel.

“If the committee adopts the motion before it, there is a risk that it will encourage the Canadian government to do the same and recognize a Palestinian state sooner rather than later. And that would be detrimental to Canada’s interests,” Chong told committee members.

Chong said such recognition would risk Canada losing its standing with the G7 and NATO.

His amendments were rejected by the other parties.

Canada deviated from its long-standing foreign policy position on the Middle East when it abstained from a United Nations General Assembly vote on the creation of a Palestinian state in May. Canada typically votes “no” on such proposals.

G7 foreign ministers issued a press statement on Tuesday reaffirming “their unwavering commitment … to the vision of a two-state solution in which two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders.” The statement also stressed “the importance of the unification of the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority.”

The Gaza Strip is currently controlled by Hamas, which is listed as a terrorist organization under Canadian law.

NDP and Bloc consider study unnecessary

Although both NDP and Bloc Québécois MPs supported the Liberal motion, they said an investigation into the matter was unnecessary and that Ottawa could immediately recognize a Palestinian state.

“I’m here to tell you that the time is right, the time has been right for a very long time,” said Heather McPherson, NDP foreign policy critic, referring to the rising death toll in Gaza.

“Where is Canada’s traditional courage?” asks Bloc MP Stéphane Bergeron. He fears that the study is just an attempt by the government to delay the recognition of a Palestinian state.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims welcomed the adoption of the motion. “We have been calling on all parties for years to work for the recognition of statehood,” said CEO Stephen Brown in a press statement.

The Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs told CBC News that recognition without negotiations would be tantamount to rewarding Hamas for its deadly attack on Israel in October last year.

Committee dissatisfied with media leaks

Committee members complained to Liberal Leader Ali Ehsassi about information leaked to the media during the closed session last week. CBC News reported on the contents of the closed session on Thursday.

“Members of this committee have not been granted the right to speak behind closed doors without information being leaked. So I would like to ask you, Mr. Chairman, to investigate how such a leak could have occurred. I want you to report to the committee, and I want the committee to share that information with the House of Representatives,” McPherson said.

Other MPs on the committee supported McPherson’s call for an investigation.

Ehsassi said that as committee chairman, he only had the authority to report the leak to Speaker Greg Fergus.