Palestinians carry aid supplies that entered Gaza on trucks through Israel, in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip on July 29.Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday it will be difficult to make a trade deal with Canada after the country announced it is backing Palestinian statehood.
Prime Minster Mark Carney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Carney announced on Wednesday Canada is planning to recognize the State of Palestine at a meeting of the United Nations in September.
Canada’s announcement follows France and Britain in recognizing a Palestinian state.
Israel and its closest ally, the U.S., both rejected Carney’s statements.
Canada and the U.S. are working on negotiating a trade deal by August 1, the date Trump is threatening to impose a 35-per-cent tariff on all Canadian goods not covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.
Carney said on Wednesday that tariff negotiations with Trump’s administration have been constructive, but the talks may not conclude by the deadline.