Canada firm and steadfast in call for twostate solution for Israel, Palestinians

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada remains ``firm and steadfast'' in its commitment to a two-state solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
    
He says the Middle East, and the world, needs both a Palestinian state and Israel to exist alongside each other in peace, safety and prosperity.
    
Canada has long called for a negotiated two-state solution in the region, and considers the West Bank and East Jerusalem to be occupied territories.
    
Trudeau is reiterating this position in the context of the latest Israel-Hamas war, which began after militants from Hamas, which Canada considers a terrorist organization, killed 1,400 Israelis in a brazen attack on Oct. 7.
    
Israel retaliated with airstrikes in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, where it has also cut off the Palestinian territory's access to water, food and electricity.
    
Trudeau, who says Israel has the ``full right to defend itself in accordance with international law,'' is not saying what plan Canada would like to see for Gaza once Israel finishes its operations.