WASHINGTON, Aug 1 — President Donald Trump has expressed displeasure with leaders of France, the United Kingdom and Canada for saying they plan to recognise a Palestinian state in September, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday.
Recent announcements by some of Washington’s closest allies have only hardened the US president’s stance against the move.
While Trump slammed Canada for announcing its intention to recognise Palestinian statehood at a United Nations meeting in September, he has been milder in his criticism of French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
He dismissed Macron’s decision, which got the ball rolling last week for other countries to consider similar steps, saying the statement did not “matter” and “doesn’t carry much weight.”
Starmer this week said the UK will formally recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel takes “substantive” steps, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza.
Asked about Britain’s decision after a trip to Scotland and talks with Starmer, Trump said he was “not in that camp, to be honest.”
According to Leavitt, Trump is now more critical of the push for recognition and believes it amounts to “rewarding Hamas at a time where Hamas is the true impediment to a cease fire and to the release of all of the hostages.” — AFP
