LONDON/NEW YORK:
In a moment described by Palestinian leaders as a “watershed”, Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal on Sunday recognised the Palestinian state, breaking with decades of Western policy and sparking fury in Israel, which vowed to resist any such outcome.
France and other nations are expected to make similar declarations as the UN General Assembly opens in New York on Monday.
The coordinated announcements mark the first time members of the Group of Seven advanced economies have formally backed Palestinian statehood, a move that places them at odds with the United States and Israel.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer framed Britain’s decision as an effort “to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution”. He stressed recognition was not a “reward” for Hamas, branding the group a “brutal terror organisation”, while also renewing calls for a ceasefire and for hostages still held in Gaza to be released.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his country recognised Palestine and “offers our partnership in building the promise of a peaceful future”. His Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese echoed the sentiment, saying recognition “acknowledges the legitimate and long-held aspirations of the people of Palestine to a state of their own”.
Portugal’s Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel told reporters in New York ahead of the General Assembly recognising the State of Palestine is the “fulfilment of a fundamental, consistent, and widely agreed” policy.
“Portugal advocates the two-state solution as the only path to a just and lasting peace, one that promotes coexistence and peaceful relations between Israel and Palestine,” he added.
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas hailed the steps as “an important and necessary” move towards a just peace. A Hamas official called it a “victory for Palestinian rights”, urging the international community to hold Israel accountable for what it called “crimes against humanity”.
The reaction from Israel was immediate and furious. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the recognitions as “absurd”, warning a Palestinian state would “endanger” Israel’s existence. “It will not happen. No Palestinian state will be established west of the Jordan River,” he said.
Netanyahu argued the move rewarded terrorism, citing the October 7, 2023 Hamas assault on southern Israel that killed 1,219 people, and led to the capture of more than 250 hostages. He vowed to expand Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog described the Western moves as “detrimental” to peace efforts, warning they would “embolden the forces of darkness”. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich went further, demanding full annexation of the West Bank, while far-right minister Itamar Ben Gvir voiced similar calls.
Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon dismissed the recognitions as “empty declarations” that ignored regional realities. “No declaration of any country will change the simple fact that before everything the hostages must be returned and Hamas must be defeated,” he said.
Three-quarters of UN member states — 145 of 193 — now recognise Palestine, according to an AFP tally. But the entry of G7 nations into that camp carries particular weight. Until now, powerful Western governments insisted recognition should only come through a negotiated peace settlement.
The UK’s move also carries historical resonance. Britain issued the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which paved the way for Israel’s creation in 1948. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy had acknowledged earlier this year that Britain bore a “special burden of responsibility” for supporting a two-state solution.
Domestically, Starmer’s government has faced pressure from a public increasingly critical of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. A YouGov poll published Friday found two-thirds of Britons aged 18-25 supported recognition. Monthly mass rallies in London have kept the issue alive.
“Britain is acting in the face of the growing horror in the Middle East,” Starmer said, insisting recognition was part of a wider framework for peace to address governance, security and humanitarian access. British opposition leader Kemi Badenoch accused Starmer of “rewarding terrorism with no conditions”.
Gaza’s war shadows
The recognitions come against the backdrop of Israel’s devastating war in Gaza, launched after the October 2023 Hamas attack. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, which the UN regards as reliable, at least 65,283 people – mostly civilians – have been killed in Israel’s retaliation. Vast swathes of the enclave lie in ruins, while famine grips the population.
On Sunday alone, 32 people were reported killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza City. Israel’s military has recently intensified its push to seize the city, forcing more than 550,000 people to flee southward.
“We shouldn’t just be numbers in the news,” said Salwa Mansour, 35, displaced from Rafah to Al-Mawasi. “This recognition shows the world is starting to hear our voice – a moral victory, even amid pain and massacres.”
Another Gazan, Mohammed Abu Khousa, said the recognitions could “chip away at Israel’s legitimacy and give our cause a new spark of hope”. Yet in Ramallah, West Bank resident Mohammed Azzam expressed scepticism: “Other countries recognised Palestine years ago. Settlers’ attacks, killings and raids still increase daily. In reality this does not help us.”
The US, meanwhile, remains firmly opposed. President Donald Trump said after talks with Starmer last week that recognition was “one of our few disagreements”, reiterating Washington’s stance that statehood should emerge from negotiations.
French President Emmanuel Macron, while supportive in principle, stressed hostage releases were a precondition before opening an embassy in Palestine.
Some international activists said the recognitions did not go far enough. Tim Bierley of Global Justice Now said Britain should back up its move with sanctions and an arms embargo, arguing recognition without pressure on Israel remained “horribly insufficient”.
Israel’s allies inside the country also voiced alarm. Opposition leader Yair Lapid called the recognitions a “reward for terrorism” but blamed Netanyahu’s government for Israel’s “worst diplomatic crisis” in decades.
The contrasting views underscored how the recognitions, while historic, remain largely symbolic. The key question — who governs Gaza and the West Bank — remains unresolved. Still, for Palestinians the symbolism matters: “Despite all the pain, we cling to anything that brings even the smallest bit of hope,” said Salwa Mansour.
