Canada has become the latest Western country to announce that it will recognise a Palestinian state.
Its Prime Minister Mark Carney made the announcement last night after a Cabinet meeting to discuss the situation in Gaza. It came after he discussed the crisis with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable,” Carney said.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced last week he would formally recognise Palestinian statehood in September, provoking strong opposition from Israel and the United States.
Starmer announced later that the UK will also formally recognise the State of Palestine in September unless Israel takes various ‘substantive steps’, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza.
Starmer’s move, paired with Paris, would make the two European allies the first G7 nations to do so.
Canada’s statement comes after 15 Western nations signed a joint statement calling for an immediate Gaza ceasefire and the implementation of a two-state solution.
The other signatories, besides Canada, were: Andorra, Australia, Finland, France, Iceland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia and Spain.
Their foreign ministers were at attending the high-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution in New York this week.
The conference was attended by more than 130 UN member states.
The meeting highlighted the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the urgent need for a ceasefire, release of hostages and unimpeded humanitarian access into and throughout Gaza.
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Harris said the conference demonstrated that there is another way forward, adding that the ‘international community demands an immediate ceasefire and hostage release deal’ as well as urgent humanitarian aid for Gaza.
Harris added that they were ready to take ‘concrete steps’ to implement the two-state solution.
“Ireland is doubling down on our commitment to achieve a just, lasting peace where Israelis and Palestinians live side by side in peace and security. We will continue to do all in our power to work for that peace.”
Minister of State for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment Emer Higgins represented Ireland at the conference.
The 15 Western nations also called on countries to move to recognise a Palestinian state, according to France’s top diplomat.
In the joint statement, the nations affirmed their ‘unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution’.
Eight of the signatories which have not yet recognised the Palestinian state expressed ‘the willingness or the positive consideration of their countries’ to do so, including Australia and New Zealand.
Seventeen countries, plus the European Union and Arab League, during the conference joined calls for Hamas to disarm and end its rule of Gaza, in a bid to end the devastating war.
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