Overview

• After talks in Berlin, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany will not join a UN General Assembly move to recognize a Palestinian state.
• Merz said the prerequisites for recognition are not met, describing statehood recognition as a concluding step toward a negotiated two-state solution.
• Canada intends to recognize Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September, with Prime Minister Mark Carney tying the step to Palestinian governance reforms and 2026 elections excluding Hamas.
• Reporting says France under President Emmanuel Macron is also planning recognition at the UN.
• Merz said recent events in Gaza do not alter Berlin’s position, following reports that an Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital killed 19 people, including about five journalists.