UK, Australia, Canada and Portugal recognise Palestinian state

Australia “formally recognises the independent and sovereign State of Palestine”, AFP reports, quoting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

“In doing so, Australia recognises the legitimate and long-held aspirations of the people of Palestine to a state of their own,” Albanese said in a statement as his country joined other major Western nations in increasing pressure on Israel to end the conflict in Gaza.

“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 the Palestinian peoples.”

Canada recognises a Palestinian state, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced has, as his country joined other major Western nations in increasing pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza, AFP reports.

“Canada recognises 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 wrote on the social media platform X.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday said Britain was formally recognising a State of Palestine, in a historic shift in decades of British foreign policy, AFP reports.

“Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine,” Starmer said in a message on X.

What recognising Palestinian state at UN actually means

If UN member states vote in favour of recognising Palestine as a state, it will be seen as a diplomatic and political milestone that could increase international pressure on Israel, Al Jazeera reports.

Recognition signals political support for Palestinian sovereignty and reinforces the push for a two-state solution, but it does not automatically create a fully functioning state on the ground.

Palestine currently holds the status of a “non-member observer state” at the UN, a designation granted in 2012. Recognition by the UN General Assembly could build momentum for Palestine to seek full UN membership, though that requires approval by the Security Council, where the United States has consistently used its veto on Palestine-related motions.

Recognition could also strengthen Palestine’s position in international institutions, such as the International Criminal Court (ICC), by bolstering its claims to statehood and legitimacy in pursuing cases related to occupation and war crimes. In addition, countries that recognise Palestine may establish or upgrade diplomatic missions and increase aid or political backing.

However, recognition at the UN does not change the realities on the ground. Israel maintains military control over the occupied West Bank, where it has continued to expand settlements on Palestinian land. It also enforces a blockade on Gaza, depriving the enclave of humanitarian aid.

Hamas on recognition 

A senior Hamas official has hailed Britain, Canada and Australia’s recognition of a Palestinian state, describing it as a victory for the rights of Palestinians, AFP reports.

“These developments represent a victory for Palestinian rights and the justice of our cause, and send a clear message: no matter how far the occupation goes in its crimes, it will never be able to erase our national rights,” Mahmud Mardawi told AFP.

Palestinian President on recognition

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has lauded Britain, Canada and Australia’s recognition of a Palestinian state, saying it is a necessary step toward lasting peace in the region, AFP reports.

Welcoming the move by the three countries, Abbas said, “It constitutes an important and necessary step toward achieving a just and lasting peace in accordance with international legitimacy,” according to a statement by his office.

Abbas also called for a ceasefire in Gaza.

“He emphasised that today’s priorities are achieving a ceasefire, allowing humanitarian aid to enter, securing the release of all hostages and prisoners, ensuring Israel’s complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, enabling the State of Palestine to assume full responsibilities, advancing recovery and reconstruction, and halting settlement activity and settler violence,” the statement added.

France responds

France’s planned recognition of a Palestinian state will not include the opening of an embassy until Hamas frees the hostages it is holding in Gaza, President Emmanuel Macron has said in an interview.

“It will be, for us, a requirement very clearly before opening, for instance, an embassy in Palestine,” Macron told CBS News in an interview taped on Thursday. France says it will formally recognise a Palestinian state along with other countries [on] Monday at the United Nations.

Netanyahu reacts

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said there will be no Palestinian state, in a message addressed to the leaders of Britain, Australia and Canada after they recognised Palestinian statehood, AFP reports.

“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,” he said. “And I have another message for you: it will not happen. No Palestinian state will be established west of the Jordan River. “