Commons committee votes to study quickest path to Palestinian state recognition

MPs on the House of Commons foreign affairs committee have voted to study the quickest path to federal government recognition of a Palestinian state.

The move comes despite the objections of Conservative MPs on the committee, who argue that recognizing a Palestinian state in the absence of a negotiated agreement with Israel would be a stark departure from long-standing Canadian government policy.

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

The motion's wording supports a "two-state solution where a safe and secure state of Israel lives side by side with a safe and secure state of Palestine." It calls on the committee to "dedicate no more than four meetings to immediately study the issue of how the Government of Canada can advance the recognition of the State of Palestine within a two-state solution."'

As CBC News has reported, Liberal MPs on the committee secured NDP and Bloc support for the motion in a closed-doors meeting. Conservatives on the committee rejected the motion and prevented it from getting to a vote until Tuesday morning.

On Tuesday, Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong tried to introduce amendments that would have brought the motion more in line with the Canadian government's traditional position that a two-state solution must start with a negotiated agreement with Israel.

"The risk with the committee adopting the motion in front of us is that it risks encouraging the government of Canada to do the same, and to recognize a Palestinian state sooner rather than later. And this would hurt Canada's interests," Chong told committee members.

Chong said Canada risks losing standing at the G7 and in NATO by undertaking such a recognition.

His amendments were rejected by the other parties.

Canada departed from its long-standing foreign policy position on the Middle East when it abstained from a United Nations General Assembly vote in May on Palestinian statehood. Canada typically votes 'no' on such motions.

The G7 foreign ministers issued a media statement Tuesday in which they "reaffirmed their unwavering commitment ...  to the vision of a two-state solution where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders." The statement also stressed "the importance of unifying the Gaza strip with the West Bank under Palestinian Authority."

The Gaza strip is currently controlled by Hamas, a listed terrorist entity under Canadian law. 

NDP, Bloc say study unnecessary

Though both NDP and Bloc Québécois MPs supported the Liberals' motion, they said studying the matter is unnecessary and Ottawa can recognize a Palestinian state right away.

"I'm here to tell you the time is right, the time has been right for a very long time," said NDP foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson, citing the rising death toll in Gaza.

"Where is Canada's traditional courage?" asked Bloc MP Stéphane Bergeron. He said he fears the study is just a way for the government to put off recognizing a Palestinian state.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims welcomed the adoption of the motion. "We've been calling for all parties to advance towards recognition of statehood for years," CEO Stephen Brown said in a media statement.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs has told CBC News that recognition without negotiation would amount to rewarding Hamas for its deadly attack on Israel in October of last year.

Committee unhappy with media leaks

Members of the committee complained to Liberal chair Ali Ehsassi about leaks to the media from its in-camera session last week. CBC News reported on the contents of Thursday's closed-doors meeting.

"The right for us to speak in camera without leaks was not granted to members of this committee, so I would ask you, Mr. Chair, that you investigate how such a leak could have happened. I would like you to report back to the committee, and I would like the committee to share that information with the House," McPherson said.

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

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