The governments of the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia yesterday formally recognised the State of Palestine, escalating diplomatic tensions with Israel as war rages in Gaza. Portugal is expected to follow suit.
The coordinated announcement came after months of warnings that recognition would follow if Israel failed to commit to a peace process that allowed for a two-state solution.
Starmer: “A Step Toward Peace”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended the decision, saying it was necessary to preserve the hope of peace amid Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
“In the face of the growing horror in the Middle East, we are acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and a two-state solution,” Starmer said in a post on X.
He stressed that recognition “is not a reward for Hamas,” adding that the group “can have no role in government, no role in security, and no future.”
The move followed the UN’s declaration of famine in Gaza, with widespread international condemnation of Israel’s military campaign.
Netanyahu: “No Palestinian State”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu swiftly rejected the recognition, vowing that no Palestinian state would be created west of the Jordan River.
“You are granting a huge reward to terror,” Netanyahu told the UK, Canada, and Australia. “Recognition will endanger our existence and serve as an absurd reward for terrorism.”
Both Israel and the United States have argued that recognition is a diplomatic gift to Hamas, citing the October 7, 2023 attacks in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 taken hostage.
Badenoch: “Absolutely Disastrous”
UK Conservative Party Leader Kemi Badenoch blasted Starmer’s decision, calling it “absolutely disastrous” and accusing him of pandering to the Labour left.
In a strongly worded post on X, she said:
“Rewarding terrorism with no conditions whatsoever leaves hostages languishing in Gaza and does nothing to stop the suffering of innocent people caught in this war.”
She also tied the recognition to what she called Labour’s broader record of misplaced priorities, citing NHS failures, youth unemployment, and immigration.
Growing Recognition of Palestine
With the latest move, about 75% of UN member states now recognise Palestine, strengthening international backing for the two-state solution first proposed by the UN decades ago.
In the West Bank, Palestinians welcomed the recognition, though many voiced fears of Israeli annexation in response.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
On the ground, the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reported 71 deaths and 304 injuries in the last 24 hours due to Israeli strikes.
A new Israeli ground operation in Gaza City was described by a UN official as “cataclysmic,” forcing hundreds of thousands to flee.
Efforts to broker a ceasefire or restart peace talks have repeatedly failed.
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