Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Through the clerk, thank you to the committee for allowing me the opportunity to testify here today.

My name is Dr. Mohamad Abu Awad. I'm Canadian born and I grew up in Palestine. I'm the coordinator of the Coalition of Canadian Palestinian Organizations, which has 26 organizations from coast to coast to coast.

I would like to preface my submission today by giving my honest opinion of the nature of this study.

All of us here have heard about the two-state solution. Canada states it believes in the two-state solution, but the reality is that there is one state that has been unilaterally recognized without forming a committee, without forming a study and without doing anything.

I will go on to say the feeling I have is that we are gathered here to provide hope in these dark times that we all face. It's hope that the Palestinian people are in such dire need of right now, more than ever, because this hope is fading. The two-state solution is dying. The Palestinian people have been failed several times, more and more by the international community and, unfortunately, by Canada as well.

We cannot honestly discuss the recognition of Palestine without going back 75 or 76 years to talk about the Nakba. The United Nations said:

The Nakba had a profound impact on the Palestinian people, who lost their homes, their land, and their way of life. It remains a deeply traumatic event in their collective memory and continues to shape their struggle for justice and for their right to return to their homes.

The main question we have here today is this: Should Canada recognize Palestine or not? Should Canada recognize Palestine now or wait until later? Do we believe in international law?

The ICJ, the International Court of Justice, in its July 19, 2024, ruling found that Israel's occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip is unlawful. If we believe in that court and we believe in international law, this is what our obligation and responsibility are. The court said:

The Court considers that the violations by Israel of the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force and of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination have a direct impact on the legality of the continued presence of Israel, as an occupying Power, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The sustained abuse by Israel of its position as an occupying Power, through annexation and an assertion of permanent control over the Occupied Palestinian Territory and continued frustration of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, violates fundamental principles of international law and renders Israel’s presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory unlawful.

What do we have to do? This presence in the West Bank is unlawful. The International Court of Justice says it's unlawful. What is Canada's responsibility? How can you correct this unlawfulness? If there is anybody on this committee who can tell me there is another way without recognizing Palestine, please tell me.

Regarding the argument around the peace process, unfortunately, the ICJ has debunked the message that Canada presented at the ICJ, which was that it should be through a final peace process negotiation. As Canada, as a leader in the world, we are in the position today that our message is not being heard at the ICJ.

Our position today is that we lag behind 147 countries that have already recognized Palestine. Of the 20 countries of the G20, nine have recognized Palestine and five of the NATO allies have recognized Palestine. We are sitting here, saying we should be doing this. The question is, when are we going to do it?

Are we going to wait through another 75 years of negotiations?

Since the time warning has been raised at me, I would like to thank you all. I hope the outcome of this exercise will be a correction and our doing the right thing for the Palestinian people.

Thank you so much, Mr. Chair.