The United Kingdom has formally recognised the State of Palestine, marking a major shift in government policy under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
In a video statement on X, Starmer said the decision was taken “in the face of the growing horror in the Middle East” to preserve the possibility of peace and keep the two-state solution alive. He added that the recognition was not “a reward for Hamas” but “a pledge to the Palestinian and Israeli people that there can be a better future.”
The move comes alongside similar announcements from Canada and Australia, with Portugal and France expected to follow. It reflects a coordinated push among Western nations to apply diplomatic pressure on Israel over its ongoing war in Gaza.
The decision has provoked strong criticism from Israeli leaders. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that a Palestinian state “will not happen,” accusing the UK and others of handing “a huge reward to terrorism.” Families of hostages held in Gaza and some Conservative politicians also condemned the move.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the UK’s recognition, calling it a step toward allowing “the state of Palestine to live side by side with the state of Israel in security, peace and good neighbourliness.”
The Foreign Office clarified that the recognition applies to a provisional Palestinian state based on 1967 borders with land swaps to be settled in future negotiations. Currently, about three-quarters of UN member states recognise Palestine, though its borders and sovereignty remain unresolved.
Conditions in Gaza and the West Bank weighed heavily on the UK’s decision. Ministers pointed to Israel’s expanding settlements in occupied territory, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, and Israel’s recent strike on a Hamas negotiating team in Qatar as evidence that peace prospects were deteriorating.
The Gaza war, now in its second year, has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians and displaced hundreds of thousands, according to local health officials. A UN inquiry recently accused Israel of committing genocide, a charge it strongly rejects.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy conceded recognition would not end the suffering immediately but argued it was a necessary signal: “Now is the time to stand up for a two-state solution.”
Africa Digital News, New York
