On Sunday, Britain, Canada, and Australia officially announced their recognition of Palestinian statehood. This coordinated diplomatic move significantly increases pressure on Israel to alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza and highlights a growing divergence from the Trump administration’s foreign policy.
These synchronized declarations were made just before the annual United Nations General Assembly in New York. This week, France and Portugal are also expected to vote in favor of Palestinian statehood recognition at the UN, joining approximately 150 other nations that have already done so.
This united action, spanning three continents, is expected to further isolate Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu diplomatically. However, these recognitions have yet to slow Israel’s ongoing military operations against Hamas, which have resulted in vast casualties in Gaza and widespread destruction across the territory.
Despite these diplomatic efforts, the recognition is unlikely to change the immediate situation on the ground. While it serves as a powerful symbolic endorsement of Palestinian self-determination, the actual creation of a viable Palestinian state—on land currently under Israeli military occupation or blockade—seems more distant than it has in decades.
“The prospect of a two-state solution is diminishing, but we must not allow that hope to extinguished,” declared British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a video address. “Today, to rekindle the hope for peace and a two-state resolution, I unequivocally declare, as Prime Minister of this great nation, that the United Kingdom formally recognizes the State of Palestine.”
Both Canada and Australia affirmed their respective decisions in separate statements issued shortly before Prime Minister Starmer’s announcement.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney criticized the Israeli government, stating it was “methodically working to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that a two-state solution “has always been the sole path to lasting peace and security for both the Israeli and Palestinian populations.”
These rapid-fire announcements garnered commendation from Palestinian leaders while drawing strong disapproval from the Israeli government.
“My message to leaders who recognize a Palestinian state following the horrific October 7th massacre is clear: You are substantially rewarding terrorism,” stated Mr. Netanyahu in a Sunday video address. “And let me be even clearer: It will not come to pass. A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River.”
The Palestinian Authority, through its President Mahmoud Abbas, lauded Mr. Starmer’s declaration as “an essential and vital step towards realizing a just and enduring peace.”
Prime Minister Starmer’s decision was deliberately withheld until after former President Trump’s state visit to Britain last week. During his visit, Trump voiced his disagreement with the recognition, arguing that efforts should instead prioritize securing the release of hostages held by Hamas.
When Mr. Starmer initially revealed Britain’s intentions in late July, he emphasized that a definitive decision would depend on several key conditions: Israel addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, a ceasefire agreement with Hamas to free hostages, and a commitment to long-term peace with Palestinians rooted in a two-state solution.
Subsequently, Israel launched strikes against Hamas leaders in Qatar, a Persian Gulf nation previously hosting ceasefire talks, thereby jeopardizing any potential agreement. Rather than de-escalating, Israeli forces have intensified combat operations, pushing further into Gaza’s primary urban area, Gaza City.
In his statement, Prime Minister Starmer unequivocally denounced “Israel’s relentless and escalating bombardment of Gaza,” deeming the resulting “starvation and devastation utterly intolerable.” Simultaneously, he reiterated his condemnation of Hamas, labeling it a “brutal terror organization.”
“This resolution is by no means a reward for Hamas,” he asserted, “because it fundamentally dictates that Hamas will have no future, no governmental capacity, and no role in security.”
Husam Badran, a high-ranking Hamas official, characterized Mr. Starmer’s announcement as “a step in the right direction, albeit delayed.” However, in a message to The New York Times, he dismissed Britain’s stipulation that Hamas be excluded from any future political role in a Palestinian state.
For Prime Minister Starmer, a former human rights lawyer, this decision has represented a deeply complex balancing act. While striving to maintain alignment between Britain and the United States on critical issues such as trade and the conflict in Ukraine, the situation in Gaza has presented unique and significant moral and political dilemmas.
During his joint appearance with former President Trump last week, Mr. Starmer framed the recognition as one element within a broader strategy. This strategy includes advocating for hostage release and restarting negotiations for a Palestinian state, with recognition serving as “part of the overall package, which hopefully takes us from the appalling situation we’re in now.”
When a Fox News reporter suggested he had waited for Mr. Trump’s departure from Britain to make the announcement, Mr. Starmer responded with a forceful denouncement of Hamas, earning an approving pat on the shoulder from Trump, who remarked, “That’s good.”
Mr. Starmer highlighted his personal connection to the region, mentioning that some of his extended family resides in Israel, and that his British-born wife, Victoria, is Jewish. “I understand, firsthand, the psychological impact” of the Hamas assaults on Israeli civilians and soldiers in October 2023, he stated, emphasizing, “So, I know exactly where I stand in relation to Hamas.”
Internal political dynamics also influenced Mr. Starmer’s choice. Within his Labour Party and among the wider public, calls for stronger action have intensified, fueled by distressing images and videos of Palestinian suffering widely circulated online and in the news.
“The UK government likely hopes this move will secure a period of calm, sparing them from further actions,” commented Daniel Levy, director of the U.S./Middle East Project, a research institute based in London and New York. “However, if Israel’s conduct remains as severe, aggressive, and unlawful as it is now, this outcome is highly improbable.”
“Britain, along with other recognizing nations, will face scrutiny with the question: ‘What has this recognition actually achieved?’” Mr. Levy, a former Israeli peace negotiator, further stated. “The likely answer will be nothing, leading to renewed and intensified calls for more substantial actions.”
Critics, including Mr. Levy, chastise the British government for its perceived inaction. Despite pleas from Labour MPs and legal experts, Britain has refrained from accusing Israel of genocide. Furthermore, while some arms sales to Israel have been paused, the UK continues to provide components for F-35 fighter jets, which the Israeli Air Force deploys in its Gaza strikes.
The British government imposed sanctions on two ultranationalist ministers in Prime Minister Netanyahu’s cabinet: Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Downing Street also indicated its readiness to arrest Mr. Netanyahu should he enter Britain, affirming its commitment to “legal obligations as set out by domestic law and indeed international law.” The International Criminal Court had already issued an arrest warrant for him in November.
Britain’s recent actions have further strained its relationship with Israel. Mr. Netanyahu cautioned that such recognition could backfire on those advocating for a Palestinian state, and pledged that Israel would accelerate the construction of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
“For years,” Prime Minister Netanyahu declared, “I have successfully thwarted the establishment of this terrorist state, despite immense domestic and international pressure.”
Additional reporting by Aaron Boxerman from Jerusalem.