France, UK and Canada back Palestinian statehood as Gaza crisis deepens, with calls for aid, a two-state solution and settlement restrictions.
France, UK and Canada Back Palestinian Statehood
France, the United Kingdom and Canada have renewed calls for Palestinian statehood and a two-state solution, placing the issue of Palestinian sovereignty and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza at the centre of discussions at the United Nations General Assembly.
French President Emmanuel Macron used his address to the UN General Assembly to criticise the international community over what he described as a failure to take stronger action on the humanitarian situation in Gaza. He questioned how countries could maintain their credibility while restrictions on humanitarian assistance continued.
Macron said France had been among the countries that recognised a Palestinian state in the previous year. He argued that recognition must be accompanied by meaningful international action, particularly as civilians in Gaza continue to face severe humanitarian conditions.
“What credibility do we have if we continue to remain inactive in the face of Gaza?” Macron asked during his speech.
He also criticised the continuing restrictions affecting humanitarian access to Gaza, arguing that declarations of peace would have little meaning without the reopening of humanitarian routes and sustained access to essential assistance.
Macron Criticises West Bank Settlement Expansion
The French president also raised concerns over developments in the occupied West Bank, including Israeli settlement activity. He warned that policies aimed at expanding settlements and undermining Palestinian territorial continuity could make a negotiated two-state solution increasingly difficult.
Macron argued that Israel’s long-term security should not be based on policies that undermine the sovereignty of neighbouring states or prevent the establishment of a viable Palestinian state.
His comments came shortly after US President Donald Trump addressed the UN General Assembly and presented his administration’s Gaza peace initiative as a major diplomatic achievement. The White House rejected Macron’s criticism and maintained that the US administration had played a leading role in efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.
UK Calls for Action on Two-State Solution
The issue of Palestinian statehood was also discussed during a high-level meeting involving France, the UK, Canada and Saudi Arabia.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham told representatives from numerous countries that international leaders had discussed a two-state solution for decades but now needed to translate political statements into concrete measures.
Burnham said continued failure to make progress could further weaken public confidence in political and diplomatic institutions.
He also highlighted British restrictions on trade connected to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are widely regarded as illegal under international law.
Burnham specifically criticised the proposed E1 settlement development, describing it as a major obstacle to the creation of a contiguous Palestinian state. The area is strategically important because development there could affect territorial links between parts of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The future of Israeli settlements remains one of the most contentious issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Palestinian leaders and several international governments arguing that continued expansion threatens the territorial basis of a future Palestinian state.
Canada Announces $71 Million in Palestinian Aid
Canadian Prime Minister Mike Carney announced that Canada would provide 100 million Canadian dollars, approximately $71 million, in assistance to Palestinians.
According to Carney, around 80 percent of the funding will support direct humanitarian assistance, while the remaining 20 percent will focus on peace and security initiatives. This includes Canada’s multiyear programme to help train Palestinian police forces in the West Bank.
Carney said Palestinians in Gaza were facing immense humanitarian suffering while also acknowledging security threats faced by Israelis from Hamas and Iran-linked groups.
Canada also announced plans to introduce restrictions on goods produced in Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The announcements by France, the UK and Canada reflect growing international attention on Palestinian statehood, humanitarian aid and the future of the two-state solution.
As the Gaza conflict and wider Israeli-Palestinian crisis continue to shape international diplomacy, governments supporting Palestinian statehood face pressure to move beyond declarations and pursue concrete measures on humanitarian access, settlement activity, security and negotiations.
The debate at the UN General Assembly highlights the continuing divide over how to achieve lasting peace while addressing the humanitarian needs of Palestinians, Israel’s security concerns and the question of Palestinian sovereignty.
