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LONDON: Denmark on Monday called for an end to the Gaza war and expressed readiness to “build on” the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while stopping short of recognizing Palestinian statehood.

Denmark is the only Scandinavian country that has yet to recognize Palestine.

Christina Markus Lassen, the Danish permanent representative to the UN, told the General Assembly: “The keys to recognition of a Palestinian state can no longer lie in the hands of the Israeli government. The Palestinians themselves must become masters of their own destiny.”

Nine countries recognized Palestinian statehood in September: the UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, France, Monaco, Luxembourg, Malta, and most recently San Marino.

“Israel has a right to self-defense, but what’s going on in Gaza right now has nothing to do with self-defense,” Lassen said.

“A man-made famine is spreading. Thousands of civilians are being killed. The humanitarian catastrophe is of unbearable scale. It must be brought to an end immediately ... The war in Gaza needs to stop.”

Copenhagen has been a traditional supporter of Israel, and Danish officials have refrained from depicting what is happening in Gaza as a genocide, a term that several EU and UN officials have used recently.

The two-state solution remains the only solution to lasting peace for two peoples, both deserving of security, both deserving of dignity

Christina Markus Lassen

However, pressure is mounting on the Danish government to use its current presidency of the EU to push Israel to end the war and comply with international humanitarian law.

AkademikerPension, a primary Danish teachers’ pension fund valued at $24 billion, divested its investments in Israel last week.

It is the second Scandinavian fund to do so, following Norway’s sovereign wealth fund — the world’s largest — which withdrew investments in Israeli companies in August.

Lassen said last week’s UN conference on the two-state solution, co-chaired by ����ֱ�� and France, has “clearly demonstrated that the momentum is growing,” and “Denmark is prepared to build on” the initiative.

“The two-state solution remains the only solution to lasting peace for two peoples, both deserving of security, both deserving of dignity,” she added. “We’re witnessing a renewed energy and enthusiasm for peace based on the two-state solution.”

Lassen called for reforming the UN, and endorsed calls for the expansion of the Security Council to improve its effectiveness, noting that “the costs of inaction are felt across the world” in conflicts in Gaza, Haiti, Sudan, Myanmar, the Sahel region and Afghanistan.

“The UN is as essential as ever. Without the UN, the world would be in a much worse state,” she said.

NEW YORK: Canada on Monday called on Israel to open land corridors for unimpeded access to humanitarian aid at scale in Gaza.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York, Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand also called on Israel to protect the civilian population and health care facilities in the Palestinian enclave.

Canada recognized Palestine last week, marking a shift from its long-standing position that statehood should be the result of a negotiated settlement. 

The decision was announced alongside the UK and Australia, with Canada saying the two-state solution was no longer tenable without this action. 

“Canada recognizes the state of Palestine and offers our partnership in building the promise of a peaceful future,” Prime Minister Mark Carney wrote on X at the time.

Anand said last week’s recognition “reflects long-standing Canadian policy, based on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and our commitment to a two-state solution, a future where Israelis and Palestinians live side by side in peace and security.”

The two-state solution is eroding, “as is evident in Israel’s illegal expansion of West Bank settlements,” she added.

Canada has committed over $340 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza, and its military has participated in air drops, Anand said.

She expressed support for partners in the region “who continue their efforts to reach a ceasefire as soon as possible and to contribute to the political processes that must follow. Canada will participate in these processes in every way that we can.”

She added: “We’re committed to efforts to strengthen the capacity of the Palestinian Authority, working collaboratively with partners in the region.”

Anand condemned as “horrific” the Hamas attack on Israel of Oct. 7, 2023, and called the group an “impediment to peace.”

She added: “Canada calls on Hamas to lay down its weapons and to release all remaining hostages immediately. The scope of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is catastrophic and requires urgent action.”