Palestinian envoy asks Ottawa to upgrade mission to full embassy

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published August 18, 2026
Updated September 1, 2026

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Palestinian Ambassador to Canada Feda Abdelhady has asked the Canadian government to upgrade the Palestinian General Delegation in Ottawa to full embassy status, a move aimed at formalizing and strengthening Palestine’s diplomatic presence following Canada’s recognition of the State of Palestine in September 2025. Abdelhady disclosed the request during an interview in Ottawa on Monday, published by The Canadian Press on Tuesday, August 18, in her first major Canadian media interview since taking up the post this summer.

The mission currently operates as the Palestinian General Delegation to Canada. Its staff are accredited as diplomats, while Abdelhady is recognized as ambassador and chief representative. She said full embassy designation would give the Palestinian mission greater permanence and provide a clearer diplomatic expression of Canada’s recognition of Palestinian statehood.

Canada formally recognized the State of Palestine on September 21, 2025. Prime Minister Mark Carney said at the time that the decision was intended to help preserve the possibility of a viable two-state solution in which a Palestinian state and Israel could coexist in peace and security. Canada also maintained its support for Israel’s security and said Hamas should have no role in the future governance of Palestine.

Abdelhady welcomed Canada’s recognition but called on Ottawa to take further steps that she says would bring Canadian policy into closer alignment with that decision, including action related to trade, sanctions and military exports. Her comments represent the Palestinian government’s position, while Ottawa continues to describe its approach as supporting a two-state solution, Israel’s security and Palestinian rights.

Abdelhady officially assumed her duties as chief representative of the Palestinian mission in Canada on June 11, 2026, becoming the first Palestinian ambassador to hold the post following Canada’s recognition of the State of Palestine. She arrived in Ottawa after 34 years in Palestinian diplomacy, much of it at the United Nations, where she served as Deputy Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine from 2013 until May 2026.