US President Donald Trump on Thursday warned that Canada's move to recognise a Palestinian state could derail efforts to strike a trade deal between the two countries. "Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them. Oh' Canada!!!" Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said earlier on Wednesday that his country plans to recognise a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN General Assembly in September, becoming the third G7 nation to make such a step in recent days. "The deepening suffering of civilians leaves no room for delay in co-ordinated international action to support peace, security, and the dignity of all human life. Preserving a two-state solution means standing with all people who choose peace over violence or terrorism, and honouring their innate desire for the peaceful co-existence of Israeli and Palestinian states as the only roadmap for a secure and prosperous future." Carney said. "For these reasons, Canada intends to recognize the State of Palestine at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025." He attributed Canada's dramatic shift in foreign policy to "the accelerated settlement building across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem," Israel's failure to prevent the "rapidly deteriorating humanitarian disaster" in Gaza, and the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel by Hamas. Carney stated that the move depended on democratic reforms, including the Palestinian Authority holding elections next year without Hamas. On Monday, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand spoke at the United Nations High-Level Conference in New York, saying: "Canada supports the Palestinian people's right to self-determination. And we endorse the principle of Palestinian statehood. We shall continue to discuss with the Palestinian Authority the next steps in our relationship." "Crucially important is the Palestinian Authority's commitment to undertake the comprehensive reforms necessary to govern Gaza and the West Bank. To that end, today Canada is pledging an additional $10 million this year to accelerate reform and capacity building for the Palestinian Authority." Anand added. The White House has not yet commented on the potential implications for trade relations between Washington and Ottawa. Canada is the United States' second‐largest trading partner, with bilateral trade worth hundreds of billions of dollars annually. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
