Canada | Palestine |
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The history of Canada-Palestine ties is complicated. Various circumstances, including Canada's colonial legacy, foreign relations, and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, have shaped it.
During the Ottoman Empire's rule over Palestine, which lasted until World War I, Canada did not have a significant relationship with the region. However, following the war, the British Empire gained control over Palestine, and Canada became a member of the League of Nations, which granted Britain the mandate to administer Palestine. In 1947, the United Nations General Assembly voted in favor of the partition of Palestine, leading to the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. Canada endorsed the partition plan. [1]
However, Canada's relationship with Palestine has been more complicated. After the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza Strip, territories that were recognized by the international community as part of Palestine. Canada initially supported a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but over time, its policies shifted towards a more pro-Israel stance.[ citation needed ]
In recent years, Canada has continued to maintain diplomatic relations with Israel and has been criticized by some for not taking a more active role in supporting Palestinian rights. However, Canada has also provided humanitarian aid to Palestinians and has expressed support for a two-state solution, and does not recognize West Bank settlements as part of Israel. [2] [3]
The Canadian government recognizes the Palestinian Authority (PA) as the representative of the Palestinian people and has maintained contact with the PA since its establishment in 1994. Canada has also provided financial assistance to the PA in support of institution-building, economic development, and humanitarian assistance.
Canada is also one of the few countries in the international community, alongside the United States, Israel, and the Compact of Free Association states, to consistently vote against pro-Palestine and anti-Israel resolutions in the UN.[ citation needed ]
Despite the strong support for Israel in Canada, many in the First Nations communities are sympathetic with Palestinians due to perceived historic parallels in both peoples struggles [4]
A 2024 resolution under the government of Justin Trudeau called for Canada to "work with international partners to actively pursue the goal of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, including towards the establishment of the State of Palestine as part of a negotiated two-state solution." Though the original proposal of this bill, by the New Democratic Party under Jagmeet Singh, called for the House of Commons to "officially recognize the State of Palestine," this line was removed prior to the passing of the bill. [5]
There are about 30,000 Palestinians living in Canada. [6]
From 1948 to 1967, Canada recognized Israel shortly after its establishment, but did not formally recognize the Palestinian refugees as a distinct group or advocate for their rights.[ citation needed ] However, Canada did support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which provided assistance to Palestinian refugees.
In the aftermath of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Canada began to express concern about the situation of the Palestinians and the need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. In 1969, Canada supported the UN Security Council Resolution 242, which called for Israeli withdrawal from the territories occupied in the war and the recognition of the right of all states in the region to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries.[ citation needed ]
During the 1970s through the 1980s, saw Canada become more actively engaged in efforts to promote a peaceful resolution to the conflict.[ citation needed ]
Official Palestinian-Canadian ties can be traced back to the aftermath of the Oslo Accords; in 1993, a Canadian representative office was established in Ramallah. On the other side, in 1995, an office in Ottawa was established to represent Palestinian interests. [6]
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East is a UN agency that supports the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees. UNRWA's mandate encompasses Palestinians who fled or were expelled during the Nakba, the 1948 Palestine War, and subsequent conflicts, as well as their descendants, including legally adopted children. As of 2019, more than 5.6 million Palestinians are registered with UNRWA as refugees.
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is an ongoing military and political conflict about land and self-determination within the territory of the former Mandatory Palestine. Key aspects of the conflict include the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, borders, security, water rights, the permit regime, Palestinian freedom of movement, and the Palestinian right of return.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 (S/RES/242) was adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council on November 22, 1967, in the aftermath of the Six-Day War. It was adopted under Chapter VI of the UN Charter. The resolution was sponsored by British ambassador Lord Caradon and was one of five drafts under consideration.
The history of the State of Palestine describes the creation and evolution of the State of Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Palestinian refugees are citizens of Mandatory Palestine, and their descendants, who fled or were expelled from their country over the course of the 1947–1949 Palestine war and the Six-Day War. Most Palestinian refugees live in or near 68 Palestinian refugee camps across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. In 2019 more than 5.6 million Palestinian refugees were registered with the United Nations.
The Palestinian territories are the two regions of the former British Mandate for Palestine that have been occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967, namely the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has referred to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as "the Occupied Palestinian Territory", and this term was used as the legal definition by the ICJ in its advisory opinion of July 2004. The term occupied Palestinian territory was used by the United Nations and other international organizations between October 1999 and December 2012 to refer to areas controlled by the Palestinian National Authority, but from 2012, when Palestine was admitted as one of its non-member observer states, the United Nations started using exclusively the name State of Palestine. The European Union (EU) also uses the term "occupied Palestinian territory". The government of Israel and its supporters use the label "disputed territories" instead.
The Beirut Summit was a meeting of the Arab League in Beirut, Lebanon, in March 2002 to discuss the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. At the time Yasser Arafat, the Leader of Palestine, was under house-arrest in his Ramallah compound. The Israeli forces confined him and prevented him from attending the Beirut Summit.
The International law bearing on issues of Arab–Israeli conflict, which became a major arena of regional and international tension since the birth of Israel in 1948, resulting in several disputes between a number of Arab countries and Israel.
Issues relating to the State of Palestine and aspects of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict occupy continuous debates, resolutions, and resources at the United Nations. Since its founding in 1948, the United Nations Security Council, as of January 2010, has adopted 79 resolutions directly related to the Arab–Israeli conflict.
Relations between Romania and PLO have been strong since the beginning of the Communist regime in Romania in 1947. Relations between Romania and the PLO were established and strengthened under the regime of Nicolae Ceauşescu, who ruled Romania from 1965 until 1989. In 1974 Romania recognized the PLO and a representative office was established in Bucharest. The PLO representative office later became an embassy. During that time many Palestinian militants were trained in Romania and most of the weapons that the PLO used against Israel were made in the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact countries including Romania. Even after the Romanian Revolution of 1989 which overthrew the communist regime and established a democratic republic, Romania remained committed to the Middle East peace process and the establishment of a separate Palestinian state. In fact, Romania had maintained bilateral relations both with Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization and was seen by both sides as a neutral mediator. Romania was one of the first countries to recognize the Palestinian Authority after the Palestinian Declaration of Independence on November 15, 1988. Romania has since maintained relations with the Palestinian Authority and has always supported Palestinians' cause in the United Nations.
China–Palestine relations, also referred to as Sino–Palestinian relations, encompasses the long bilateral relationship between China and Palestine dating back from the early years of the Cold War.
The Palestinian–Serbian relations are bilateral relations between the State of Palestine and the Republic of Serbia. Relations between Serbia and Palestine have been very close and friendly.
Relations between the European Union and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) were established in 1975 as part of the Euro-Arab Dialogue. The EU is a member of the Quartet and is the single largest donor of foreign aid to the Palestinian Authority.
The two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict proposes to resolve the conflict by establishing two nation states in former Mandatory Palestine. The implementation of a two-state solution would involve the establishment of an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel.
Jordan–Palestine relations are strong, historical, bilateral relations.
United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-10/20 is a resolution of the Tenth emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly criticizing the Israeli response to the 2018 Gaza border protests. The resolution was sponsored by Algeria, Turkey and the State of Palestine passed with 120 voting in favour, 8 against, and 45 abstentions.
Palestine–Sri Lanka relations refer to the bilateral relations between the State of Palestine and Sri Lanka. Historically, relations between the two countries have been very friendly. Relations between Palestine and Sri Lanka started in 1975, when the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) opened up an embassy in Colombo. After the Palestinian Declaration of Independence on 15 November 1988, Sri Lanka and the Maldives were among the first few countries in the world to recognize the State of Palestine.
Palestine–Spain relations are the bilateral and diplomatic relations between these two countries. Palestine has an embassy in Madrid. Spain has a consulate general in East Jerusalem that serves the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem . However, Spain does not recognize Palestine as a State and therefore Spain's consulate in East Jerusalem is not an embassy.
Palestine–Ukraine relations are bilateral relations between the State of Palestine and Ukraine. The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic recognized Palestinian independence on 19 November 1988. Palestine recognized Ukraine as a sovereign state in February 1992. On 2 November 2001, the two countries established diplomatic relations and the Palestinian embassy opened the same day. Ukraine has supported UN resolutions against Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Brunei–Palestine relations refer to foreign relations between Brunei and the State of Palestine. Brunei supports the creation of a independent Palestine based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.