Divisions emerge at G7 over response to Israel-Iran escalation
Reporting from Banff, Canada, where leaders from the Group of Seven (G7) bloc of nations are meeting, Al Jazeera’s Diplomatic Editor James Bays says divisions are surfacing over how the group should respond to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.
“It’s now emerging that there are real differences between these leaders, and it has been reported that [US] President [Donald] Trump does not want to sign a statement on de-escalation,” Bays said.
The G7 is being joined in discussions by the secretaries-general of NATO and the United Nations.
“You have the European countries… they say there should be de-escalation and diplomacy – but they always say Israel has a right to defend itself,” Bays added. “On the other end, you have Japan, the only non-Western country in the G7, and it strongly condemned Israel’s attack when it first took place on Friday.
“I think for now it seems Iran is not prepared to talk under fire. And it looks like there’s going to be a real problem getting a joint statement from G7 countries.”
As G7 leaders convened behind tight security in Kananaskis, Alberta, hundreds of demonstrators flooded downtown Calgary in what organizers branded the “Genocidal 7” protest. The march brought together Indigenous activists, pro-Palestinian groups, Kashmiri dissidents, and Canadian citizens outraged over economic inequality, global conflicts, and climate inaction.
Protesters denounced the G7’s role in escalating global wars and enabling genocide—from Gaza to Kashmir—and questioned the summit's soaring costs amid Canada’s ongoing affordability crisis. Chants, drums, and placards filled the air, as demonstrators demanded justice for marginalized communities and accountability from the world’s most powerful democracies.
While leaders gathered in luxury resorts under heavy RCMP and military protection, voices on the streets of Calgary accused them of indifference—and complicity.
