On Monday, May 19, Canada, France and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement that marked a departure from past positions, taking a much more critical tone towards Israel. Now that they are seeing the logical culmination of Israel’s plans in all its horror, they want to distance themselves from what has become an embarrassing situation. But their statement is just words. For the Palestinian people, it is one minute to midnight. Only strong action—immediate, multilateral and sustained action—can make Israel back down.

Together for 19 Months of Genocide

It must be borne in mind that prior to this statement, Canada, France and the UK were unwavering supporters of Israel for decades. They maintained close ties with Israel at every level: economic, political, diplomatic, military and cultural. Those ties extended to complicity in the Israeli occupation and colonization of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem) and the current genocide.

Since October 2023, while Israel has killed or maimed 200,000 Palestinians (at least), starved an entire population and destroyed all of its infrastructure, these countries have gone from initially defending Israel’s “right to defend itself” to expressing “concern” and finally calling for a ceasefire. But they DID NOTHING. They did not impose meaningful sanctions or take any steps to end the atrocities.

Demands Fall Far Short of International Law

This is the first time these countries have used terms such as “abhorrent language” or “egregious actions” in relation to Israel. But the limited nature of their demands is striking.

Canada, France and the United Kingdom oppose “the expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza” and “any attempt to expand settlements in the West Bank” (emphasis added). What they should be demanding is an immediate halt to all Israeli military operations in Gaza, the complete withdrawal of its army from all of the Occupied Territories, and the dismantling of all settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. This would bring their demands into line with the opinion issued by the International Court of Justice on July 19, 2024 and the subsequent resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly, which set September 17, 2025 as the deadline for Israel to end its occupation and colonization of the Occupied Territories.

Saving Face—with the Same Fake Solutions

Even as the Palestinian people are being dismembered in Gaza and Israel wants to finish them off, Canada, France and the UK are talking about “a long-term political solution” (emphasis added) and reaffirming their support for the “efforts led by the United States, Qatar and Egypt,” although Egypt has consistently cooperated with Israel in maintaining the blockade and, as is well known, the United States continues to arm Israel and its president says the U.S. should take over Gaza and turn it into the Riviera of the Middle East.

Canada, France and the UK also want to exclude Hamas from talks about the future of Palestine, as if this were their decision to make. They state: “We will continue to work with the Palestinian Authority, regional partners, Israel and the United States to finalize consensus on arrangements for Gaza’s future.” Is this how they understand the right of peoples to self-determination—deciding who should represent them and asking them to reach a consensus with a genocidal state?

It Is Time to Act!

If Canada does not want to remain complicit in Israel’s crimes, it must immediately apply all means of political and economic pressure at its disposal. There are many things it could do, including immediate recognition of the State of Palestine, applying a real two-way embargo on military equipment, joining in actions before the international courts, terminating economic and military agreements, imposing sanctions and breaking off diplomatic relations.

Canada should also urge all its allies do likewise and work for the maintenance of real international pressure until the following conditions are met:

the immediate and permanent lifting of the Israeli blockade and the resumption of aid distribution by the relevant UN agencies, beginning with UNRWA;

an immediate and permanent ceasefire;

full compliance with international law by Israel, which would entail dismantling the settlements and ending the occupation;

the rapid and unconditional realization of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.

New orders from the International Court of Justice and more UN resolutions won’t make Israel back down. Unfortunately, neither will another UN conference in June. Only the immediate implementation of maximum sanctions could make Israel change course.

When international law is openly, even proudly, flouted by many countries—led by the United States and Israel—this is the only way that Canada, a country that claims to uphold international law, can truly defend it and fulfil its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

The very possibility of a future for the Palestinian people is at stake.

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