UK Raises Palestinian Flag, Formally Recognises Palestinian State Amid Ongoing Conflict

The Palestinian flag was officially raised outside the premises of Palestine’s embassy in the United Kingdom on Monday, marking Britain’s historic recognition of a Palestinian state. The move comes as Israel continues its military operations in Gaza and enforces a crackdown in the occupied West Bank.

The flag-raising ceremony was held outside the former Palestine Mission to the UK, accompanied by a speech from Palestinian Ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot.

“Please join me as we raise the flag of Palestine, with its colours representing our nation: black for mourning, white for hope, green for our land, and red for the sacrifices of our people,” Zomlot said.

He described the recognition of a Palestinian state as “righting historic wrongs and committing together to a future based on freedom, dignity, and fundamental human rights.”

Zomlot highlighted the ongoing suffering of Palestinians, noting, “This recognition comes at a time of unimaginable pain and suffering, as a genocide is being waged against us — a genocide that continues with impunity.”

He added, “Our people in Gaza are being starved, bombed, and buried under the rubble of their homes; in the West Bank, they face ethnic cleansing, daily state-sponsored violence, land theft, and suffocating oppression.”

The ambassador stressed that the recognition stands as a powerful statement against continued occupation and dehumanisation. “This moment is a defiant act of truth — a refusal to let genocide be the final word, a refusal to accept that occupation is permanent, and a refusal to be erased,” Zomlot concluded.

Britain’s recognition comes as international attention intensifies over the Israel-Palestine conflict, and as countries increasingly discuss a two-state solution in response to decades of tension and violence.