Canada’s Carney says Israeli settlement scheme poses 'direct threat' to peace, two-state solution

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday that Israel's endorsement of the E1 settlement plan east of occupied East Jerusalem poses "a direct threat to peace" while announcing new humanitarian aid for Palestinians on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Carney said he would co-host a meeting that evening with the prime ministers of the UK, France and the UN secretary-general "on the two-state solution and the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2720 in Gaza," warning that "immense human suffering continues."

He said the long-held international consensus for a two-state solution, upheld by "every one of my predecessors since the formation of this organization, will mean nothing if these conditions continue."

Carney also announced CAN$100 million ($71 million) in “international assistance for Palestine," including CAN$80 million for humanitarian aid and CAN$20 million to “support peace and security capacity building, including our leadership of police training in the West Bank."

He added that Canada and its partners, "with reluctance," would bring forward "trade restrictions targeting goods produced in those illegal Israeli settlements," calling it "a pragmatic, practical action" toward "a durable peace for Israelis and Palestinians."

Israeli authorities plan to open tenders on Oct. 25 for 2,167 settlement units under the E1 project, in addition to 1,234 units included in a separate tender issued in August, bringing the total to 3,401 units.

The project aims to connect the Maale Adumim settlement with occupied Jerusalem through the seizure of Palestinian land, according to the Palestinian presidency.

Canada along with Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK announced measures earlier this month targeting goods from Israeli settlements.