CaliToday (22/9/2025): On Sunday, September 21, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada formally recognized a Palestinian state in a coordinated move that drew an immediate and furious response from Israel, which has vowed it will never accept such a possibility.
The joint initiative from the three long-time allies and Commonwealth nations reflects a growing international outrage over Israel's conduct of the war in Gaza and steps taken by the Israeli government to block efforts to establish a Palestinian state, including the continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has faced internal pressure from his Labour Party to take a harder line on Israel amid the worsening situation in Gaza, said the UK's move was intended to "restore hope for peace for Palestinians and Israelis." He stressed it was not a reward for Hamas, the group behind the October 7, 2023, attack that killed approximately 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage.
"Today, in the cause of restoring hope for peace and a two-state solution, I state clearly as the Prime Minister of this great country that the United Kingdom formally recognizes the state of Palestine," Starmer said in a video message. "We recognized the state of Israel over 75 years ago as the homeland of the Jewish people. Today we join over 150 other countries in recognizing the state of Palestine."
The move prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare that the creation of a Palestinian state "will not happen," while Hamas called on the international community to isolate Israel. Later on Sunday, Portugal also announced its recognition of a Palestinian state.
Announcement Was Widely Anticipated
The British announcement was widely expected after Starmer said in July that the UK would recognize a Palestinian state if Israel did not agree to a ceasefire in Gaza, allow the United Nations to bring in aid, and take steps toward a lasting peace.
More countries are expected to follow suit at the United Nations General Assembly this week, including France, which, like Britain, is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council.
Reactions from Palestine and Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the three nations for giving a "reward" to Hamas.
"It will not happen," he stated. "A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River."
Netanyahu, who is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Friday before meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, said he would announce Israel's response after his trip. He has previously threatened to take unilateral steps, including the possible annexation of parts of the West Bank, in response to world leaders recognizing a Palestinian state. Such a move would pave the way for deeper Israeli control over the territory and heighten tensions with the international community.
Hamas welcomed the decision, calling it a "just result of the struggle, resilience, and sacrifice of our people on the path to liberation and return." The armed Islamist group, which is sworn to Israel's destruction, called on the world to isolate Israel.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who leads the Palestinian Authority with its limited autonomy in West Bank towns and cities, called the British announcement an important step toward "a just and sustainable peace in the region based on a two-state solution," according to the official Palestinian news agency, Wafa.
A Historic Context
Britain and France have played a historic role in Middle Eastern politics over the last 100 years, having carved up the region following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I.
As part of that division, Britain became the ruling power in what was then Palestine. The UK was also the author of the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which supported the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people."
However, the second part of that declaration was largely ignored for decades. It stipulated that "nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights" of the Palestinians.
"The recognition of Palestine by France and Britain is significant given the legacy of their involvement in the Middle East," noted Burcu Ozcelik, a Senior Research Fellow for Middle East Security at the Royal United Services Institute in London. "But if the U.S. is not on board with the idea of Palestine, I think very little will change on the ground."
Husam Zomlot, the head of the Palestinian mission to the UK, told the BBC that the recognition corrects a colonial-era mistake. "The issue now is to end the denial of our existence that started 108 years ago, in 1917," he said. "And I think today, the British people should celebrate a day when history is being corrected."
A Major Diplomatic Shift
For decades, the UK has supported an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel but maintained that recognition should come as part of a peace plan to achieve a two-state solution.
However, the government has grown increasingly concerned that this solution is becoming nearly impossible. Over the last two years, Israel's assault on Gaza has displaced most of its population, killed more than 65,000 people, and created a severe humanitarian crisis, including famine in Gaza City. Last week, independent experts commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, an accusation Israel rejects as "distorted and false."
Of critical concern to the UK has been the Israeli government's expansion of settlements in the West Bank, the territory Palestinians envision for their future state. Much of the international community considers Israel's occupation of the West Bank, which is administered by the Palestinian Authority, to be illegal.
"This move is symbolic and historic, clearly demonstrating the UK's concern about the viability of the two-state solution, and is aimed at keeping that goal alive," said Olivia O’Sullivan, Director of the UK in the World Programme at Chatham House.
The establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel is internationally regarded as the only realistic way to resolve the long-running conflict.
