The NDP may have ripped up its agreement with the Liberals but that has not stopped the radicals in both parties from combining to set government policy. Liberals on the foreign affairs committee voted alongside allies from the NDP and the Bloc Québécois on Tuesday to study the prospect of Canada recognizing a Palestinian state unilaterally. Judging by the testimony at the committee, the result of that study is not in doubt and it will recommend that the government breaks with 75 years of diplomatic tradition that has long called for the establishment of a Palestinian state as part of, but not before, a two-state solution.
The motion, which passed by eight votes to four Conservative votes against, was presented by Liberal MP Omar Alghabra, who argued that the proposal marginalizes the terror group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, because Hamas doesn’t want a two-state solution. His Liberal colleague, Rob Oliphant, said that if we want a two-state solution, there need to be two states. Oliphant noted the recent evolution in Liberal thinking.
“The prime minister has been very clear that recognition of the state of Palestine is to be done at the right time, not necessarily at the last step in the path.” He said Liberals oppose the position of Benjamin Netanyahu’s Israeli government after the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack to reject the two-state solution , while the Canadian government also recognizes Hamas has not laid down its arms or released the dozens of Israel.
