Canada to recognize Palestinian state in September, joining France and UK
Manuel Hassassian – Palestinian ambassador to Denmark
Jotam Confino – Middle East correspondent
Yevheniia Kravchuk – Ukrainian MP
Camille Nedelec – Correspondent
Laurie Laird – Economist
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
3 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Macron slams ‘abject cruelty' of Hamas hostage video
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday that Hamas showed 'inhumanity without bounds' by releasing videos of two emaciated Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian militant group in Gaza. Hamas and its Islamic Jihad ally have recently released three clips showing captives Rom Braslavski and Evyatar David, who were seized during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the war. 'Abject cruelty, inhumanity without bounds: this is what Hamas represents,' said the French head of state of the 'unbearable images.' 'The absolute priority for France is the immediate release of all the hostages,' he added on X. In the footage shared by the Palestinian groups, 21-year-old Braslavski, a German-Israeli, and 24-year-old David both appear weak and malnourished. The footage of David showed him digging what he said in the staged video was his own grave, triggering particular outrage. Macron, who has said France will recognize a Palestinian state in September, promised to 'work without respite' for 'the re-establishment without delay of a ceasefire, and to allow the mass delivery of humanitarian aid, still blocked at the gates of Gaza.' But he also argued that Hamas must have no part ruling coastal strip once the war ends. 'We must have the total demilitarization of Hamas, its complete exclusion from any form of governance and the recognition of Israel by the state of Palestine,' he said. Besides Macron, the European Union's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, also condemned the videos as showing Hamas' 'barbarity,' insisting the militants disarm and release the dozens of hostages it still keeps in captivity. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha added his voice to the outrage, insisting that 'Hamas' inhuman treatment of the Israeli hostages deserves a very strong condemnation.' 'People in Gaza should not remain suffering because of Hamas' heinous crimes. It must lay down its arms and release all hostages immediately,' Sybiha added on X. Braslavski and David are among 49 hostages taken during Hamas' 2023 attack still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Most of the 251 hostages seized in the attack have been released, some in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli custody. Hamas' 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally based on official figures. Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed at least 60,430 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers those figures to be reliable.
Asharq Al-Awsat
3 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
How Moscow Might Respond if Trump Stops Russian Oil to India
US President Donald Trump's demand on India to halt Russian oil imports could threaten billions in Russian revenues, prompt Moscow to retaliate by stopping a major US-led oil pipeline and potentially lead to a new global supply crisis. India, the world's third largest oil importer, has become the biggest buyer of Russian oil since 2022, purchasing up to 2 million barrels per day of oil accounting for 2% of global supply. Other top buyers are China and Türkiye. The Indian route is so important for the Kremlin that if disrupted it could prompt it to retaliate by closing the CPC pipeline from Kazakhstan, where US oil majors Chevron and Exxon hold big stakes, analysts at JP Morgan said this week. "Russia is not without leverage," the US bank said. Trump has threatened to slap tariffs of up to 100% on countries that buy Russian oil unless Moscow reaches a peace deal with Ukraine by August 7-9. A 25% tariff on all US goods imports from India starts on Friday. Reuters reported on Thursday that Indian state refineries had paused purchases of Russian oil this week amid Trump's threats. REALIGNMENT India only began buying large quantities of oil from Russia, the world's second largest oil exporter, since 2022. It became a top importer after Europe, Russia's former top client, imposed a ban on Russian oil over its military actions in Ukraine. Russia's oil giant Rosneft has a major stake in one of India's biggest oil refineries. India is now 35% reliant on Russian oil imports worth $50.2 billion in the 2024-25 fiscal year, according to India's government data. "Cutting off this flow would require a massive realignment of trade flows," said Aldo Spanjer from BNP Paribas, adding that the global supply was already stretched. India buys all varieties and grades of Russian oil - including Urals from Western ports, ESPO and Sokol from the Pacific and some grades from the Arctic, according to LSEG data. Urals would be hit hardest if India stops buying as it purchases up to 70% of Russia's biggest export grade by volume. India's oil minister said the country can find alternative supply. India would need to raise imports of US and Middle Eastern crude or cut refining runs, leading to a spike in diesel prices, especially in Europe, which imports fuel from India. "Indian refiners will still struggle to replace the heavy quality of Russian crude so they may end up paring runs," said Neil Crosby from Sparta Commodities. FALLING INCOME Russia has managed to continue selling oil since 2022 despite international sanctions, although it sells it at discounts to global prices. Falling global prices mean Russia's income is already under pressure. Its oil and gas revenue fell 33.7% year-on-year in June to its lowest since January 2023, finance ministry data showed. Revenues will fall 37% in July due to weaker global oil prices and a strong rouble, Reuters calculations show. Russian firms will need to store oil on tankers if India stops buying, paying extra money for shipping charges and being forced to offer wide discounts to new buyers, traders said. A loss of 2 million bpd of exports might also gradually prompt Russia to start reducing oil production from the current levels of 9 million bpd, traders said. Russia's current production is regulated by OPEC+ quotas. HOW CAN RUSSIA RESPOND? Russia could potentially divert some 0.8 million bpd of oil to Egypt, Malaysia, Pakistan, Peru, Brunei, South Africa and Indonesia, JP Morgan said. Moscow could also disrupt the CPC pipeline to make sure the West feels the pain from higher oil prices. Western oil firms Exxon, Chevron, Shell, ENI and TotalEnergies ship up to 1 million bpd via CPC, which has total capacity of 1.7 million bpd. "If we get a visible and substantial difficulty in clearing Russian crude and Putin shuts off CPC, oil prices might get well over $80 per barrel, possibly a lot more," said Crosby. The CPC pipeline crosses Russian territory and the consortium has clashed with Moscow, which ordered it to suspend operations for several days in 2022 and 2025 citing environmental and tanker regulations. A combined stoppage of CPC and Russian flows to India would create a disruption of 3.5 million bpd or 3.5% of global supply. "The Trump administration, like its predecessors, will likely find sanctioning the world's second-largest oil exporter unfeasible without spiking oil prices," JP Morgan said.
Arab News
5 hours ago
- Arab News
Summit on two-state solution rekindles hopes of peace
As international momentum in support of the rights of the Palestinian people continues to grow, the holding of a summit on a two-state solution at the UN headquarters in New York — co-chaired by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and France — marked a decisive moment in the political trajectory of a cause deeply rooted in global conscience. This conference, attended by a majority of countries, as well as international and regional organizations, was not just another diplomatic event; it was a genuine symbol of hope for a fair and comprehensive political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The conference brought renewed focus to the fact that the Palestinian issue remains the most pressing challenge facing the international community, and that the time for concrete action has come. Although calls for a two-state solution are not new, their adoption by such a broad international consensus — and at this particular moment — has given them unprecedented political and moral weight. The summit achieved widespread success and stood out as a powerful global referendum, with numerous countries announcing their intention to officially recognize the state of Palestine during the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly. These countries also expressed full support for the conference's outcomes and for the peace efforts led by Saudi Arabia and France, within the framework of an international initiative that reflects growing awareness of the importance of justice as a cornerstone for peace and stability. The pivotal role played by the Kingdom and France in convening the conference and rallying international efforts around a clear peace initiative based on UN resolutions cannot be overstated. Their commitment went beyond diplomacy; it embodied a moral and political stance that affirmed the dedication of both Riyadh and Paris to supporting the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people and ending their prolonged suffering — an approach aligned with that of most of the world's nations advocating for a just and lasting peace. One of the most significant outcomes of the conference was the growing international consensus on the urgent need to end the suffering of Palestinian civilians, especially in Gaza. All participants unanimously called for an immediate ceasefire, the lifting of the humanitarian blockade, and an end to repeated incursions in the West Bank. Speeches delivered during the conference affirmed that global peace and stability cannot be achieved without justice for Palestinians and the fulfillment of their legitimate aspiration for an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Ushering the Middle East into an era of development and stability has become an urgent necessity Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama The conference sent powerful messages of hope, fueled by strong political and humanitarian will. Peace, once seen as distant, now seems closer than ever — provided the international community displays firm and united resolve to end the war on Gaza and put a stop to occupation and settlement policies. This international movement was widely welcomed, particularly by the Republic of Djibouti, which actively participated in the summit's proceedings, reaffirming its principled position in support of the Palestinian people's legitimate rights and its full backing of all efforts that promote a just and comprehensive peace in the region and the world. In the past, some Arabs had promised to throw Israel into the sea — empty and unrealistic slogans. Meanwhile, Israel, despite decades of occupation and brutal warfare against the Palestinians, has never succeeded in extinguishing their right or legitimate hope to live freely on their own land. Today, ushering the Middle East into an era of development and stability has become an urgent necessity, especially amid the sweeping economic transformations led by Saudi Arabia through its Vision 2030 under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This ambitious vision aims to not only ensure prosperity for the Saudi people, but also to serve as a regional engine of growth, with major cross-border and transcontinental investment projects that will benefit the global economy as a whole. The human conscience now stands at a critical crossroads: either the triumph of peace, justice, stability, and development through the implementation of a two-state solution and the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its broader implications, or a dangerous regression that traps the region and the world in a spiral of violence, extremism, and instability, with dire consequences for both regional and international security. • Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama is Ambassador of the Republic of Djibouti and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. X: @dya_bamakhrama
