Displaced Palestinians flee northern Gaza Strip, by foot and in vehicles, carrying their belongings along the coastal road, near Wadi Gaza, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025.
The United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada have officially recognized a Palestinian state. Their coordinated announcement on Sunday drew immediate anger from Israel, which firmly rejected the prospect. The move signals growing frustration among world powers over Israel’s handling of the Gaza conflict and its continued settlement expansion in the West Bank.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, under mounting pressure from within his Labour Party, said the recognition aims to restore hope for peace. He stressed that it was not a concession to Hamas, which carried out the deadly October 7, 2023 attacks that killed 1,200 people and abducted 251 others.
“To revive the hope of peace and a two-state solution, I formally recognize the state of Palestine,” Starmer declared in a video message.
The U.K., he added, had recognized Israel as a homeland for the Jewish people over 75 years ago. Now it joins more than 150 countries acknowledging a Palestinian state. Australia and Canada echoed the move, while Portugal also confirmed recognition later on Sunday.
Anticipated but Historic
The U.K.’s decision had been widely expected. In July, Starmer warned recognition would follow unless Israel agreed to a ceasefire, allowed UN aid into Gaza, and took steps toward lasting peace.
More announcements are likely at this week’s UN General Assembly. France, another permanent Security Council member, is expected to follow suit.
Israel Rejects Move
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the decision. He accused the countries of rewarding Hamas and vowed that a Palestinian state “will not happen west of the Jordan River.”
Netanyahu is preparing to address the UN before meeting U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. He has hinted at unilateral responses, including annexing parts of the West Bank—an act that would deepen Israel’s control and further escalate tensions with the international community.
Palestinian Reactions
Hamas welcomed the recognition, calling it a rightful result of Palestinian “struggle, steadfastness, and sacrifice.” The group urged the world to isolate Israel.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas also praised the move. He described it as an essential step toward a just and lasting peace built on the two-state solution.
Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian envoy in London, said recognition corrected a century-old injustice dating back to Britain’s 1917 Balfour Declaration. “The denial of our existence began 108 years ago,” he told the BBC.
A Century of History
The U.K. and France once shaped Middle Eastern politics after World War I, carving up the region following the Ottoman Empire’s fall. Britain took control of Palestine and issued the Balfour Declaration, supporting a Jewish homeland while promising to protect Palestinian rights.
That second pledge, critics argue, was largely ignored. Today’s recognition carries symbolic weight, reflecting those historical responsibilities.
Mounting Global Pressure
International experts warn that the two-state solution is fading. Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has displaced millions, killed more than 65,000 people, and triggered famine conditions.
Last week, UN-appointed investigators accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, a charge Israel dismissed as false. Meanwhile, Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank continues, eroding prospects for a Palestinian state.
Olivia O’Sullivan of Chatham House noted the importance of the U.K.’s decision:
“This move has symbolic and historic weight. It underlines concerns about the survival of the two-state solution and aims to keep that vision alive.”
The Road Ahead
Despite growing recognition, meaningful change remains uncertain without U.S. backing. Analysts argue that American support is vital for any Palestinian state to become a reality.
Still, the recognition by the U.K., Australia, Canada, and Portugal adds momentum to global calls for peace. With France and others expected to follow, pressure on Israel is mounting.
For Palestinians, the announcement represents hope after decades of conflict. For Israel, it marks rising international isolation. And for the world, it reinforces the urgency of pursuing the two-state solution before it slips out of reach.
