In a move that has sent ripples through the international community, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia formally recognized the State of Palestine on September 21, 2025, joining over 150 countries in a gesture that supporters call historic and critics label controversial. The announcement, which came just days before the opening of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, marks a dramatic shift in diplomatic tides and has reignited debate over the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered the news in a video statement, referencing the long and fraught history since the Balfour Declaration of 1917, when Britain first backed "the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people." Now, more than a century later and 77 years after the creation of Israel, Starmer declared, "In the face of the growing horror in the Middle East, we are acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and of a two-state solution." He emphasized that this recognition was not a reward for Hamas, which he called "a brutal terrorist organisation that wants to see Israel destroyed," but rather a move to "revive hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis."
Starmer was not alone in his resolve. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney echoed similar sentiments, stating, "Canada recognizes 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." Carney was quick to clarify that the decision "in no way legitimises terrorism, nor is it any reward for it," and reaffirmed Canada's "steadfast support for the State of Israel, its people, and their security — security that can only ultimately be guaranteed through the achievement of a comprehensive two-state solution."
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese struck a similar chord, describing the announcement as part of a "co-ordinated international effort to build momentum for a two-state solution." He added, "Today's act of recognition reflects Australia's longstanding commitment to a two-state solution, which has always been the only path to enduring peace and security for the Israeli and Palestinian people." Albanese further indicated that Australia would consider opening embassies and establishing diplomatic relations as the Palestinian Authority makes progress on its commitment to reform.
The coordinated recognition comes against a backdrop of escalating violence in Gaza and the West Bank. Israeli military operations in Gaza City have intensified, with reports of widespread destruction, displacement, and famine among the enclave's population. Daily raids by Israeli soldiers and attacks by settlers continue across the occupied West Bank, while Israeli leaders advance plans to annex Palestinian territory — a move widely seen as an attempt to "bury" the idea of a contiguous Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Britain's Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper described the decision as "historic," taken "alongside some of our closest allies," and said it "reflects our unwavering commitment to a two-state solution and affirms the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination." Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy cautioned that recognition alone would not bring a Palestinian state into existence "overnight," but insisted, "Any step to recognise it is because we wish to keep alive the prospects of a two-state solution."
The Palestinian Authority welcomed the move. Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin called it "a message of hope to the Palestinian people, a message of hope for a free, independent, sovereign state." She added that the recognition would also mean "Israel has no sovereignty on the territories of our state." Layla Moran, the first representative of Palestinian descent to serve in the UK Parliament, told Al Jazeera, "A decades-long injustice has now been rectified. This is a small step, the way we should see it is the beginning of a journey. It is important that this translates now into changes on the ground." Moran added pointedly, "It shouldn’t have taken us a genocide to get to this point."
But the reaction from Israel was swift and scathing. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the move as a "prize" for Hamas, declaring, "There will be no Palestinian state west of the Jordan River." He added, "I have a clear message for those leaders who recognise a Palestinian state after the horrific massacre on October 7: you are granting a huge reward to terror." Netanyahu said Israel's response would be announced after his return from a trip to the United States, where he is scheduled to meet President Donald Trump.
Far-right Israeli ministers intensified calls for the immediate annexation of the West Bank. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced plans to propose "the immediate application of Israeli sovereignty" at the next cabinet meeting. Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf, of the Otzma Yehudit party, went further, claiming, "the Land of Israel belongs exclusively to the people of Israel – there is no Palestinian people and no Palestinian state."
President Trump, during his recent state visit to the UK, made his opposition clear. After meeting with Starmer, he said, "I have a disagreement with the prime minister on that score," and reiterated his stance that the war in Gaza must end, but not through recognition of Palestinian statehood.
The United States and Israel are not alone in their criticism. Detractors argue that recognition is an empty gesture, given the Palestinian territories are divided between the West Bank and Gaza, with no recognized international capital and a fractured leadership. They also contend that it rewards Hamas for its attack on October 7, 2023, when around 1,200 people were killed and 251 abducted in southern Israel. As of late August 2025, 48 hostages remain in Gaza, with Israel believing about 20 are still alive.
Supporters, however, see the recognition as a step toward correcting what Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian head of mission in the UK, called "the denial of our existence that started 108 years ago, in 1917." Zomlot told the BBC, "The issue today is ending the denial of our existence that started 108 years ago, in 1917. And I think today, the British people should celebrate a day when history is being corrected, when wrongs are being righted, when recognition of the wrongs of the past are beginning to be corrected."
The diplomatic dominoes may not be finished falling. France and Portugal have both announced plans to formally recognize Palestine, with French President Emmanuel Macron declaring the move "necessary to combat Hamas" and to ensure "the security of all in the region." Macron explained, "The objective of Hamas is absolutely not to create a Palestinian state. The objective of Hamas is to destroy Israel... And this is why, if we want to stop this war, if we want to isolate Hamas, the recognition process and the peace plan which goes with this recognition process is a precondition." France and Saudi Arabia are set to co-host a summit at the United Nations on September 22 to further discussions on a two-state solution.
On the ground, the response among Palestinians has been mixed. While Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas praised the move as paving the way for a two-state solution and "allowing Palestine to live side by side with the State of Israel in security, peace and good neighborliness," some, like 20-year-old Sara Mohammed from Birzeit University, remain skeptical. "We want people to speak up to change something — not to just say it and move on," she told NPR, reflecting a sense of cautious hope but lingering doubt.
As the debate rages in diplomatic circles and on the streets, one thing is clear: the recognition of Palestinian statehood by the UK, Canada, and Australia has reignited global attention on one of the world's most intractable conflicts and has set the stage for a new chapter — though whether it leads to peace or further polarization remains to be seen.