Britain, Australia and Canada on Sunday formally recognised a Palestinian state, marking a dramatic shift in decades of Western foreign policy and provoking an angry response from Israel.
Portugal also announced that it would recognise Palestine later in the day, as pressure mounted on Israel over the Gaza war that erupted nearly two years ago following Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared on X: “Today, to revive the hope of peace for Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine.”
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney echoed the move, 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.”
Britain and Canada became the first G7 members to take this step, with France and other nations expected to follow at the UN General Assembly in New York.
The decision represents a watershed for Palestinians, whose long struggle for statehood has until now been blocked by major Western powers insisting it must come through a negotiated settlement with Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted furiously, branding calls for Palestinian statehood an existential threat and an “absurd reward for terrorism.”
The move comes as Israel intensifies its Gaza offensive, which has left vast destruction, tens of thousands of civilian deaths, and a worsening humanitarian crisis.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy acknowledged Britain’s “special burden” of responsibility, referencing the 1917 Balfour Declaration that paved the way for Israel’s creation.
Currently, three-quarters of UN member states — over 140 countries — already recognise Palestine.
Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa confirmed his government would also act: “By acting now, we’re keeping alive the possibility of having two states.”