Unauthorized PA Lobbyist, Diplomat in Canada : Canadian Citizen Yasser Abbas

"In recognizing a State of Palestine last year, Prime Minister Mark Carney cited the Palestinian Authority as Palestine's only legitimate representative, but said Canada's recognition was conditional on 'much-needed reforms' such holding elections in 2026."

"The recognition was also paired with $15 million in Canadian aid 'for electoral assistance and a comprehensive democratization program'."

"When said elections never happened, however, Global Affairs Canada simply responded with a statement expressing its 'regret'." 

Tristin Hopper, Investigative Journalist, National Post 

Yasser Abbas, son of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas [Getty]

 

He is 64 years old, a wealthy Palestinian businessman and his father Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority is being accused by PA politicians of nepotism for plans to elevate his oldest son Yasser Abbas, to the post of presidency after his own (lifetime) tenure has finally elapsed. Not that Yasser Abbas spends all that much time in Palestine. He appears to spend a considerable amount of time in, of all places, Canada where he has established himself as a citizen dating back decades. He used his Canadian passport recently attempting to enter the United States, and was turned back by border agents, since no Palestinians are now permitted entry to the U.S.

 

Canada, though -- no problem. Although the previous Canadian government under Conservative leader and Prime Minister Stephen Harper had halted Canadian charitable dollars going to the PA in view of its undemocratic and human rights-abusing record exemplified in its exhortations to West Bank Palestinians to exert themselves to use any means at their disposal to kill Israeli Jews, along with its school curricula indoctrination of Palestinian children into the glories of martyrdom and Jew-hate, when Justin Trudeau became prime minister in 2015, he immediately reversed that decision.

 

In 2026 Canada, along with France, Britain, Spain, Ireland and Australia and Norway gave formal recognition to Palestinian statehood at the United Nations. Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed the opinion that elections are overdue since the current PA president's electoral mandate had expired and is now almost two decades overdue. A promise was made for elections to take place in the fall of 2026, and then -- oops -- promise rescinded. Recognition was not, however, and Canada's financial aid to the PA has, if anything, been stepped up.

PA President Mahmoud Abbas chairing a meeting of the Fatah Central Committee, in Ramallah, on February 19, 2025. (Thaer GHANEM / PPO / AFP)

 

Al Jazeera, Qatar's propaganda news outlet, recently reported on the state of Yasser Abbas' position within the Fatah Central Committee of the Palestinian Authority, pointing out that Mr. Abbas "spends most of his time in Canada", despite his deep involvement in Palestinian politics. Put another way, it seems odd that this son of the PA's president, himself obviously geared to inherit his father's role, lobbies relentlessly in Canada for Palestine. His very prominence withing the PA's governing body surely speaks of deep involvement in the persistent years'-long Palestine-centric protests roiling Canada's cities.

 

This man's residence in Canada goes back to the 1980s. The Palestinian Authority's "Commissioner-General for Foreign Relations", Yasser Mahmoud Arafat, although not registered either as a foreign lobbyist or a diplomat attached to the delegation of the PA's official diplomatic office, is known to have made numerous political contacts in Canada. Several months back the Palestinian Yaffer News Network reported on Mr. Abbas's meeting with Liberal MP Salma Zahid.

 

Abbas, according to the report, "stressed the importance of holding Palestinian National Council elections", even though those scheduled elections would be cancelled by his father. "For her part, MP Zahid affirmed the importance of Canada continuing to support the Palestinian people and discussing steps that could be taken in the coming period to strengthen that support, alongside continued parliamentary work and coordination on priority issues", according to the Yaffa News Network. 

 

Back in 2009 Mr. Abbas, acting as Canada's "closest link to the corridors of Palestinian power" lobbied The Harper Conservative government to restore its funding to the Palestinian Authority. That same year, Mr. Abbas established friendly relations with then-Conservative MP Ted Menzies as well as with Liberal Irwin Cotler, known for his devotion to Israel, and at one time Liberal government Minister of Justice. As though that is not sufficiently cozy, a year later cheek kisses were exchanged with then-Liberal MP Bob Rae. 

 

Fatah Central Committee member Yasser Abbas speaks during a visit to the northern West Bank city of Jenin on September 13, 2026. (Yasser Abbas/Facebook

 

The Government of Canada has had a level of association with the Palestinian Authority since 1994. It has only been in the last few years under Canada's successive Liberal governments that the association has been renewed with a new warmth, accompanied by generous financial support. The Carney government in particular has made the Palestinian Authority a primary beneficiary of new foreign aid ventures. Direct aid in the sum of $40 million to the Palestinian Authority was authorized last year as funding to strengthen "economic recovery, social resilience and governance in the West Bank".

 

In September of this year, an additional $20 million was announced for initiatives to be overseen by the Palestinian Authority for "peace and security". By the circumstance of coincidence that month saw Canada banning the importation of Israeli goods from West Bank settlements, in concert with Ireland, Spain, France and the United Kingdom. 

 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, accompanied by his son Yasser. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman