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With the meeting slated for sometime this week, speculation continues to swirl about whether the rendezvous will prove largely symbolic or spell tangible repercussions for the Palestinian Authority or for Canada itself.

Mr. Baird said in an interview last week that Canada is not considering severing diplomatic ties with the Authority, and he deferred questions about the future of Canada’s foreign aid to International Cooperation Minister Julian Fantino. Still, former Canadian ambassador Robert Collette said Ottawa has various other mechanisms to show its displeasure, including restricting the Palestinian envoy’s access to Canadian officials or stepping down as chair of the Middle East Peace Process Working Group, which is dedicated to finding solutions to the Palestinian refugee issue.

On the Arab side, there might be some sense to making an example out of Canada — a demonstration that you can’t easily take those kinds of positions without diplomatic costs

But the Palestinian Authority has some diplomatic tools in its arsenal, too. McGill University political scientist Rex Brynen pointed to recent comments by Saed Erekat, the top Palestinian negotiator, in which he threatened to oust Canada from the refugee working group and put Canada on the agenda for discussion at an upcoming Arab League meeting next week.

“On the Arab side, there might be some sense to making an example out of Canada — a demonstration that you can’t easily take those kinds of positions without diplomatic costs,” Mr. Brynen said, adding that any negative discussion about Canada at the Arab League meeting could weaken its reputation and influence in the Middle East.

Meantime, European foreign ministers are slated for their own meeting next week, where the Israeli plan to build 3,000 homes in the West Bank will be high on the agenda, one EU official in Brussels said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu showed no signs of bending Monday. His office said Israel would continue to stand up for its interests “even in the face of international pressure.”

National Post, with files from The Associated Press

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