LONDON. Britain, Canada, Australia, and Portugal formally recognised a Palestinian state on Sunday, a move intended to revive hopes for a two-state solution amid the devastating war in Gaza, drawing a furious response from Israel.
The four Western nations, traditionally close allies of Israel, joined more than 140 countries worldwide that support Palestinians’ aspirations for an independent homeland in the occupied territories. Britain’s decision carried particular weight given its historic role in Israel’s creation following World War Two.
“Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine,” said Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He added: “The man-made humanitarian crisis in Gaza reaches new depths. The Israeli government’s relentless and increasing bombardment of Gaza, the offensive of recent weeks, the starvation and devastation are utterly intolerable.”
France and other nations are expected to follow suit this week during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply condemned the decision. “I have a clear message to those leaders who recognise a Palestinian state after the horrific massacre of October 7: You are giving a huge reward to terrorism. And I have another message for you: It will not happen. A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River,” he said, referring to Hamas’ 2023 attack that killed 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken, according to Israeli figures.
In retaliation, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to local health authorities. The offensive has also displaced much of the population, spread famine, and reduced large swathes of Gaza to rubble.
Palestinian leaders and communities welcomed the decision. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the recognition would help pave the way for the “State of Palestine to live side by side with the State of Israel in security, peace, and good neighbourliness.” Husam Zomlot, head of the Palestinian Mission to the UK, called the announcement “a moment when the UK Prime Minister and the British government, on behalf of their people, stand and say: ‘We must correct history, we must right the wrongs’.”
Hamas also welcomed the step but said it must be accompanied by “practical measures” to end the war in Gaza and prevent Israel from annexing the West Bank.
In Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that the recognition was aimed at strengthening voices for peaceful coexistence and the defeat of Hamas. “This in no way legitimises terrorism, nor is it any reward for it,” he stressed. Portugal’s Foreign Affairs Minister Paulo Rangel described the decision as a “fundamental line of Portuguese foreign policy” and reiterated that “a ceasefire is urgent.”
Public opinion remains divided. Some Londoners praised the move as a step toward peace, while others criticised it as premature. Mandy Damari, the British mother of released British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari, told Reuters that Prime Minister Starmer was “under a two-state delusion,” arguing that the recognition rewarded Hamas. In contrast, hostages remain in captivity and the war continues.
The United States, Israel’s closest ally, has yet to comment on the recognition by three of its allies. Former President Donald Trump has previously opposed such a move. Meanwhile, Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he would push for Israel to apply sovereignty over parts of the West Bank, which would amount to de facto annexation of territory seized in the 1967 war.
Britain’s involvement in the region dates back to 1917, when its troops captured Jerusalem from the Ottoman Empire, and the League of Nations later granted Britain the mandate to administer Palestine. Now, over a century later, London’s recognition of Palestinian statehood signals a dramatic shift in Western diplomatic positioning, setting the stage for heated debates at the UN this week.
