Statement from FSWC President and CEO Michael Levitt on Canada’s Official Recognition of a Palestinian State

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Toronto (September 21, 2025) - In response to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s announcement today that Canada officially recognizes a Palestinian state, ahead of tomorrow’s UNGA meeting, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) President and CEO Michael Levitt issued the following statement:

"We all recognize the need to support constructive, realistic efforts to advance the prospects of peace in the Middle East. But the Canadian government's decision to prematurely recognize Palestinian statehood flies in the face of important facts on the ground and risks undermining a possible resolution of the decades-long conflict.

"Ottawa’s move puts misguided faith in a Palestinian Authority that, under Mahmoud Abbas, has long been marked by corruption, repression and support for and glorification of terrorism and has yet to carry out the reforms requested by the West for years. So too, it undermines efforts to address the dictatorial rule of Hamas in Gaza, where the terrorist group continues to endanger Palestinians and Israelis. The reality is this announcement will be seen by Hamas and its supporters in Canada and elsewhere as a victory and justification for the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led invasion of Israel and the subsequent massacre of 1,200 people and the kidnapping 251 others at gunpoint. Rather than symbolic recognition of a Palestinian state, the immediate focus must be on pressuring Hamas to release hostages and disarm and working with all parties to end the current war that the terrorist group started two years ago.

"We can expect that those exploiting the tragic events in the Middle East as a pretext to target Jewish Canadians will only be further emboldened in the wake of this announcement. Whether it's the violent protests on our streets, the antisemitic incitement or escalating physical assaults against Jews, all Canadians should be concerned by the extremists who increasingly threaten public safety. For the sake of peace in the region and here at home, this is the wrong policy at the wrong time."

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