OTTAWA—Canada is not willing to follow Norway, Ireland and Spain in immediately recognizing Palestinian statehood, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated Wednesday. But Trudeau also emphasized his government’s recent shift in position — that it is willing to do so at some future point even in the absence of a negotiated “two-state” solution to the long-standing Israel-Palestine conflict. For now, however, he is clearly not ready to take the next step as three European countries did in co-ordinated fashion, announcing they would formally recognize a “state” of Palestine on May 28.
Norway, Ireland and Spain claimed it would give impetus to peace in the region, a position that a top U.S. official said defied “logic.
” Neither Trudeau nor Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly echoed that U.S. criticism, or directly commented on the move.
But when the NDP demanded Canada follow their lead, the prime minister underscored the urgent need for “a credible path towards lasting peace.” “We oppose efforts by the Netanyahu government to reject a two-state solution. At the same time Hamas, a terrorist group, currently controls areas in Gaza and has not laid down its arms or released its hostages,” he said.
“We are prepared to recognize the state of Palestine at the right time, not necessarily as the last step along the path.” The U.S.
took a more skeptical view, with national security adviser Jake Sullivan bluntly rejecting the notion that “unilateral recogn.