Canada’s recognition of Palestinian state under fire after PA delays election

In light of the Palestinian Authority’s postponement of elections to 2027, Israel’s Ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed criticized on Saturday night Ottawa for recognizing a Palestinian state a year ago.

The recognition came in exchange for P.A. chief Mahmoud Abbas’s “commitments—a list of 30-years long broken promises,” the envoy tweeted.

Once again postponing elections is just one more undelivered reform by the P.A., such as ending its “pay-for-slay” program, which provides stipends to Palestinians imprisoned in Israel for terror attacks, and to the families of slain terrorists, Moed said.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) called on the government of Prime Minister Mark Carney to hold the P.A. accountable, pointing out the double standard of taking punitive measures against Israel while absolving Ramallah of accountability.

The nonprofit representing Jewish Federations across Canada labeled the Canadian policy “dangerous,” adding that criticizing Israel in Canada “has been exploited to fuel antisemitism, violence and even acts of terror.”

CIJA demanded to know what Ottawa’s approach is achieving.

“Canadians need to know what concrete steps their government will now take to hold the P.A. accountable and ensure its policies produce meaningful progress toward peace,” the organization said.

Abbas on Saturday issued a decree calling for presidential and legislative elections on Sept. 11, 2027, while revoking his previous decree that had scheduled a legislative election for Nov. 28, 2026, the official WAFA news agency reported.

The move “comes amid continued Israeli military attacks, settlement expansion, colonist violence and repeated Israeli incursions across the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem,” the report said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Saturday night described Abbas as a “corrupt dictator” who has “once again deceived the international community.

“His attempt to drag Israel into this, falsely claiming that Israel imposed obstacles to holding elections, is yet another ridiculous lie designed to evade responsibility and accountability,” he added.