Conflicting ideas about identity, legitimacy driving Middle East conflict: Anand

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says peace between Israel and Palestinians requires a change in how people talk about identity and legitimacy, not just a political agreement.

Anand is at the United Nations for a major conference convened by France and Saudi Arabia to find ways to preserve the two-state solution, and she's expected to speak at more length this afternoon.

In her opening remarks, Anand says the conflict is driven by the duelling narratives through which Israelis and Palestinians perceive the conflict, and that peace requires a shared reality.

The meeting comes as international experts warn of starvation in Gaza, where Israel has slightly loosened its restrictions on aid deliveries to desperate Palestinians.

It also comes days after France announced it would be the first G7 country to recognize a Palestinian state, despite heavy pushback from Israel.

Prime Minister Mark Carney says Ottawa will work with its peers on recognizing a future Palestinian state, adding Hamas cannot have a role in governing it.

Picture Courtesy: AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana