Back Palestine and jeopardise trade deal, Trump warns Canada

Telegraph

5 days ago

Donald Trump has warned that Canada's decision to back a Palestinian state puts a trade deal between the two countries at risk.
On Wednesday night, Canada joined the UK in announcing that it would recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations in September.
'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!!!' Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
His trade threat comes a day before higher tariffs on countries without a US trade deal are set to come into place. Canada will face 35 per cent tariffs on most goods it sells to the US from Friday, unless an agreement is reached on Thursday.
Canada's decision to recognise a Palestinian state follows similar announcements first by France and then by the UK.
Western nations have been under pressure to recognise Palestine as Israel continues its relentless assault in Gaza, which has contributed to a deepening hunger crisis in the war-torn enclave.
Earlier this week, Mr Trump said there was 'real starvation' in Gaza, telling Israel to allow 'every ounce of food' into the Palestinian territory.
The US president also criticised France and the UK's decision to recognise Palestine, with Mr Trump saying of Emmanuel Macron: 'What he says doesn't matter. He's a very good guy. I like him, but that statement doesn't carry weight.'
Mr Trump also issued a rare rebuke to Sir Keir Starmer while speaking to reporters on board Air Force One on his return to Washington from his golf course in Turnberry, Scotland.
'We never did discuss it,' the US president said, in reference to the Prime Minister's announcement, which came hours after his press conference with Mr Trump. 'You're rewarding Hamas if you do that. I don't think they should be rewarded.'
However, it does not appear that the UK and France's decision to recognise Palestine will affect their respective trade deals.
The UK was the first country to announce a trade deal with the US, meaning they will pay a 10 per cent tariff on most goods. France, meanwhile, will pay 15 per cent as part of a separate deal agreed with the European Union.
Mark Carney, the prime minister of Canada, told reporters in Ontario that Canada would recognise Palestine under certain conditions, including that the Palestinian Authority commits to reforming its governance and holds elections without Hamas.
The Israeli foreign ministry responded: 'The change in the position of the Canadian government at this time is a reward for Hamas and harms the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of the hostages.'
An anonymous White House official told Reuters: 'President Trump's focus is on getting people fed.'
Carney fears for Palestine
Canada had previously said it would only recognise a Palestinian state once peace talks had concluded with Israel, though it shifted its stance due to the situation on the ground.
Mr Carney said the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza meant the 'prospect of a Palestinian state is literally receding before our eyes'.
'We are working ourselves, with others, to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution, to not allow the facts on the ground, deaths on the ground, the settlements on the ground, the expropriations on the ground, to get to such an extent that this is not possible.'
Meanwhile, British lawyers have warned Sir Keir that recognising a Palestinian state would break international law.
In a letter to Lord Hermer, the Attorney General, 40 members of the House of Lords – many of them lawyers – wrote: 'Palestine does not meet the international law criteria for recognition of a state, namely, defined territory, a permanent population, an effective government and the capacity to enter into relations with other states.
'This is set out in the Montevideo Convention, has become part of customary law, and it would be unwise to depart from it at a time when international law is seen as fragile or, indeed, at any time.'
On Thursday, Sweden called on the EU to suspend the trade section of its association agreement with Israel over its conduct of the war in Gaza.
'The situation in Gaza is absolutely appalling, and Israel is failing to fulfil its most basic obligations and agreements on emergency aid. Sweden therefore demands that the EU freeze the trade section of the association agreement as soon as possible,' Ulf Kristersson, the prime minister, said in a post to X, calling on the Israeli government to allow 'unhindered humanitarian aid into Gaza'.