On Sunday, September 21, 2025, a major diplomatic shift sent ripples through the international community: the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada formally recognized a Palestinian state, a coordinated move signaling mounting global frustration with Israel’s handling of the war in Gaza and its continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank. The announcement, widely anticipated after weeks of escalating tensions, was soon followed by Portugal and, notably, France—one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council—joining the ranks of over 150 nations now recognizing Palestinian statehood.
The British government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, framed the decision as a necessary step to “revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis.” In a video message, Starmer declared, “Today, to revive the hope of peace and a two-state solution, I state clearly as prime minister of this great country that the United Kingdom formally recognizes the state of Palestine. We recognized the state of Israel more than 75 years ago as a homeland for the Jewish people. Today we join over 150 countries who recognize a Palestinian state also.” According to the Associated Press, Starmer emphasized that the recognition was not a reward for Hamas, which orchestrated the October 7, 2023, attack killing about 1,200 people and abducting 251 others, but rather a bid to keep the two-state solution alive amid growing despair.
Australia and Canada echoed the UK’s reasoning, citing the urgent need to restore momentum toward peace and address what they described as a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The war, now in its third year, has displaced most of Gaza’s population, killed more than 65,000 people, and led to famine conditions in Gaza City, according to U.N. reports cited by the Associated Press. Last week, independent experts commissioned by the U.N. Human Rights Council concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza—a charge Israel vehemently denies as “distorted and false.”
French President Emmanuel Macron, announcing France’s recognition on Monday, September 22, 2025, stated, “True to the historic commitment of my country to the Middle East, to peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians, this is why I declare that today, France recognizes the state of Palestine.” Macron’s words underscored the growing sense among Western leaders that the status quo is untenable, especially as the Israeli government continues to expand settlements in the West Bank, territory the Palestinians hope will form part of their future state.
The response from Israel was swift and furious. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the recognizing countries of handing a “prize” to Hamas and reiterated his longstanding opposition to Palestinian statehood. “It will not happen,” Netanyahu insisted. “A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River.” He warned of potential unilateral Israeli actions, including the annexation of parts of the West Bank, a move that would further inflame tensions with the international community and deepen Israel’s control over disputed territories.
Hamas, for its part, welcomed the recognition as “a rightful outcome of our people’s struggle, steadfastness, and sacrifices on the path to liberation and return,” and called on the world to isolate Israel. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose Palestinian Authority exercises limited autonomy in the West Bank, hailed the UK’s announcement as “an important step toward achieving a just and lasting peace in the region based on the two-state solution,” as reported by the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.
The United States, however, remained notably absent from the list of recognizing countries. President Donald Trump, addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, made his opposition clear. Trump, whose administration has taken a hard line against Palestinian diplomatic efforts, argued that recognition “emboldens extremists and rewards Hamas.” He stated, “The President has been very clear he disagrees with this decision. He feels this does not do anything to release the hostages, which is the primary goal right now in Gaza, does nothing to end this conflict and bring this war to a close, and frankly, he believes it’s a reward to Hamas, so he believes these decisions are just more talk and not enough action from some of our friends and allies,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
In his speech, Trump asserted, “It’s too bad that I had to do these things instead of the United Nations doing them. That being the case, what is the purpose of the United Nations?” He criticized the U.N. for what he described as “empty words,” insisting, “The only thing that solves war... is ACTION.” Trump repeated his disapproval of a Palestinian state, saying it would be a “reward for these horrible atrocities, including October 7, even while they refuse to release the hostages or accept a ceasefire.”
Trump’s administration also announced it would deny and revoke visas for Palestinian officials or diplomats ahead of the General Assembly, stating they “must completely reject terrorism and stop counterproductively pursuing the unilateral recognition of a hypothetical state.” Despite these measures, the momentum for Palestinian recognition seemed only to grow, with more than a dozen European countries and over 145 nations worldwide now supporting statehood.
Netanyahu doubled down on his opposition, warning, “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.” The Israeli leader has even threatened unilateral steps, including annexation, in response to the international recognition wave.
Within the UK and France, the move holds special historical significance. Both nations played pivotal roles in shaping the modern Middle East following World War I, with the UK authoring the 1917 Balfour Declaration supporting a Jewish homeland but also pledging to protect Palestinian rights—a commitment many critics say has been neglected. Burcu Ozcelik of the Royal United Services Institute noted, “It’s significant for France and the UK to recognize Palestine because of the legacy of these two countries’ involvement in the Middle East. But without the United States coming on board with the idea of a Palestine, I think very little will change on the ground.”
Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian head of mission in the UK, 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.” Olivia O’Sullivan, Director of the UK in the World Programme at Chatham House, added, “This move has symbolic and historic weight, makes clear the UK’s concerns about the survival of a two-state solution, and is intended to keep that goal relevant and alive.”
Yet, the path forward remains fraught. The Biden administration’s silence, Trump’s vocal opposition, and Netanyahu’s threats of annexation highlight the deep divisions that persist. As the United Nations General Assembly convenes this week, the world will be watching to see whether this new wave of recognition sparks renewed negotiations—or simply further entrenches the stalemate.
In the end, the coordinated recognition by some of Israel’s closest allies marks a turning point in the international approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, raising both hopes and fears about what comes next in this long-running struggle for peace and self-determination.