UK, Canada, Australia Recognise Palestinian State in Historic Shift

In a historic shift in Western foreign policy, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia formally recognised the State of Palestine on Sunday, prompting strong reactions from Israel. Portugal is also expected to follow suit later in the day.

The move comes amid mounting international pressure over the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which was triggered nearly two years ago by the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.

“Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on X (formerly Twitter).

Britain and Canada are the first G7 nations to take this step, with other countries, including France, expected to announce recognition during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, opening Monday.

“Canada recognises the State of Palestine and offers our partnership in building the promise of a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney wrote on X.

The decision marks a significant milestone for Palestinians and their decades-long aspiration for statehood, challenging the longstanding Western position that recognition should only occur as part of a negotiated peace agreement with Israel.

However, the move has drawn sharp criticism from Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that calls for Palestinian statehood “would endanger our existence and serve as absurd reward for terrorism,” and pledged to oppose the measure at the UN.

The recognition also highlights growing frustration among Western allies over Israel’s intensified Gaza offensive targeting Hamas militants, which has caused widespread destruction, a soaring death toll, and severe humanitarian shortages in the Gaza Strip.

UK Leadership and Public Pressure

The UK government has faced increasing domestic pressure to act, with thousands rallying monthly in support of Palestinian statehood. A YouGov poll released Friday showed that two-thirds of young Britons aged 18-25 supported recognition.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, speaking at the UN in July, acknowledged that “Britain bears a special burden of responsibility to support the two-state solution.” The UK played a pivotal role in establishing the groundwork for Israel’s creation through the 1917 Balfour Declaration.

Currently, over three-quarters of UN member states—more than 140 out of 193—already recognise Palestine. Starmer’s government had indicated that recognition would proceed unless Israel took “substantive” steps, such as agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza, allowing greater humanitarian aid, and refraining from annexing the West Bank.

Lammy noted that while recognition will not immediately address urgent humanitarian needs or release hostages, it represents a “hopeful” push toward a two-state solution. Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin said last week: “Recognition is not symbolic. It sends a very clear message to the Israelis on their illusions of continuing occupation forever.”

Conflict Toll

Hamas’s 2023 attack on southern Israel killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to AFP. Israel’s retaliatory campaign in Gaza has claimed at least 65,208 lives, primarily civilians, according to Gazan health ministry figures considered reliable by the United Nations.

Portugal also announced plans to formally recognise Palestine during the UN assembly. “By acting now, as the Portuguese government has decided, we’re keeping alive the possibility of having two states,” Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said.

This landmark recognition by major Western nations could mark a turning point in decades of diplomatic stagnation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.