In a historic move, Britain, Australia, and Canada officially recognised a Palestinian state on Sunday, marking a dramatic shift in Western foreign policy and sparking sharp anger from Israel.
Portugal also announced plans to follow suit later in the day, further isolating Israel as global pressure intensifies over the devastating Gaza war that began nearly two years ago after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the recognition aimed to revive hopes of peace and strengthen the push for a two-state solution.
“Today, to revive the hope of peace for Palestinians and Israelis, the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine,” Starmer declared in a statement on X.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney echoed the sentiment, writing:
“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.”
The announcement marks the first time G7 powers have taken such a step.
France and several other nations are expected to align with the recognition during the UN General Assembly in New York, which begins Monday.
However, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded with outrage, warning the move endangered his nation’s security.
He argued that recognising a Palestinian state now would “serve as an absurd reward for terrorism.”
The decision comes after months of mounting public pressure in the UK, where protests demanding Palestinian statehood have filled the streets.
Polling last week showed two-thirds of young Britons aged 18 to 25 support the recognition.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy acknowledged Britain’s “special burden” in the debate, citing the 1917 Balfour Declaration that paved the way for Israel’s creation.
He said the move was about hope, even if it would not directly end suffering in Gaza.
The Gaza conflict has seen catastrophic destruction.
According to UN-verified figures, more than 65,000 people have been killed, mostly civilians, while food shortages have triggered a major humanitarian crisis.
Israel maintains its offensive is necessary to eliminate Hamas, whose 2023 attack killed 1,219 people in southern Israel.
Palestinian officials welcomed the recognition, calling it a rejection of Israel’s long-standing occupation.
Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin stressed:
“Recognition is not symbolic. It sends a very clear message to the Israelis.”
Three-quarters of UN member states already recognise Palestine.
With major Western nations now shifting, pressure is mounting on the United States, Israel’s closest ally, to clarify its position.
Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said his country’s recognition was meant to “keep alive the possibility of two states.”
The momentum signals a dramatic new chapter in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict, even as the war in Gaza rages on.
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