The United Kingdom has officially recognized Palestine as a state, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in a video message on Sunday (local time). On the same day, Canada and Australia also extended formal recognition to Palestine.
In his address, Starmer said, With the hope of establishing peace and achieving a two-state solution, I declare as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom that, from now on, Palestine will be formally recognized as a state.”
At the start of the video message, Starmer noted the ongoing horrors in the Middle East, stating that the UK was striving to preserve efforts toward peace and a two-state solution.
He explained that this means there should be both a safe and secure Israel and, alongside it, a functioning Palestinian state — but currently, neither exists. He then formally announced the UK’s recognition of Palestine.
According to AFP, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also officially recognized Palestine on the same day, announcing the decision in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated in a formal declaration that Australia will now consider Palestine a free and sovereign state.
Starmer had previously announced his intention to recognize Palestine in July, stating that if Israel did not agree to a ceasefire and a long-term peace deal based on a two-state solution, the UK would move forward with recognition.
Despite calls for a ceasefire, there has been no progress in Gaza. In fact, just last week, Israel launched a ground offensive in Gaza City, striking the heart of the enclave. The attacks resulted in numerous civilian casualties and forced thousands of residents to flee.
According to a report by the BBC, the UK’s recognition marks a significant shift in its foreign policy. However, the move has been met with strong criticism from the Israeli government, families of hostages, and right-wing organizations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously stated that such recognition by the UK would be akin to rewarding terrorism.
British ministers, however, defended the move, saying that recognizing Palestine is a moral responsibility aimed at keeping the hope of a lasting peace agreement alive.
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