The United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia have officially recognized Palestine as an independent and sovereign state. On Sunday (21 September), the three countries made the historic announcements one after another.
Canada led the way, followed by Australia, and finally the United Kingdom.
In his formal statement, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared, “To revive peace and the two-state solution, I am proud to declare, as the Prime Minister of this great nation, that the United Kingdom officially recognizes Palestine as a state.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said, “Canada is recognizing the State of Palestine. At the same time, we pledge to partner in building a peaceful future for both Palestine and Israel.”
Both Canada and Australia had previously signaled at the UN General Assembly that they were preparing to recognize Palestine, though Sunday’s announcements came sooner than expected. British media had also reported that the UK would take this step today.
Back in July, Prime Minister Starmer had hinted that if Israel failed to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza by September and did not commit to a sustainable peace agreement, the UK would reconsider its stance. This decision represents a major shift in British foreign policy, as successive governments had maintained that recognition would only come as part of the peace process and at a moment calculated to have maximum impact.
The decision has sparked strong criticism from the Israeli government, families of hostages, and several Conservative leaders. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the move, saying it “will reward terrorism.” British ministers, however, insist that recognition is a moral obligation and a necessary step to preserve hope for a long-term peace settlement.
