CANADA: Canada is under “no illusions” about the limited impact of recognizing the State of Palestine, but decided it had to counter an Israeli government opposed to Palestinian statehood, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Monday.
Canada was among a group of Western nations — including Britain, Australia, and Portugal — that recognized Palestine on Sunday with others, including France, due to follow at the annual UN General Assembly opening on Monday in New York.
“We are under no illusions that this is any sort of panacea,” Carney said during an appearance at the Council on Foreign Relations think-tank, acknowledging the move may have limited effect, especially with Israel and the United States staunchly opposed.
But, Carney added, the move was “necessary” because the possibility “of self-determination for the Palestinian people is being erased.”
“When it is the avowed policy of the Israeli government that there will never be a Palestinian state — that is the policy of the current Israeli government — … what we’re looking to accomplish is to is to keep (statehood) front and center.”
“We’re doing what we can but recognizing the limitations,” the prime minister said, stressing Canada wanted to see the emergence of a “Zionist Palestinian state,” meaning one that supports Israel’s right to exist.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who will speak at the UN on Friday, has vowed to expand Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank after the recognitions.
US President Donald Trump believes the recognition of a Palestinian state by key allies including is effectively rewarding militant group Hamas for its attack on Israel, the White House said Monday.
