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UK, Canada and Australia formally recognise Palestinian state amid Gaza war

 Published: 12:21, 22 September 2025

UK, Canada and Australia formally recognise Palestinian state amid Gaza war

Britain, Canada, and Australia simultaneously announced on Sunday that they are formally recognising a Palestinian state — a diplomatic shift driven by deep frustration over the ongoing Gaza war and the collapse of peace prospects. 

The move, designed to breathe life back into the long-stalled two-state solution, is expected to trigger sharp criticism from Israel and its closest ally, the United States.
Three of Israel’s strongest Western partners breaking with decades of cautious diplomacy to join more than 140 countries that already acknowledge Palestinian statehood. Analysts say it is one of the most significant international rebukes of Israel’s conduct since the Gaza war began nearly a year ago.
Britain’s decision carried added weight given its pivotal role in the Middle East’s modern history. The 1917 Balfour Declaration and Britain’s post–World War II mandate over Palestine paved the way for the eventual creation of Israel — a legacy that still shapes the conflict today.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer made the announcement in London, stressing that the recognition was both symbolic and practical.
“Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and to uphold the principle of a two-state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine,” he said. He described the worsening conditions in Gaza as “a man-made catastrophe” and condemned Israel’s “relentless bombardment, starvation tactics, and mass displacement of civilians.”
Canadian Prime Minister and Australian Prime Minister issued similar statements, each underscoring that recognition was not an endorsement of Hamas but a call for an equitable resolution that guarantees both Israeli security and Palestinian sovereignty.
France and several other European nations are expected to follow suit this week during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, creating momentum for a new wave of recognition that could shift the balance in future negotiations.
The war in Gaza has now claimed more than 65,000 Palestinian lives, most of them women and children, according to health officials in the enclave. Large swaths of Gaza lie in ruins, famine is spreading, and nearly the entire population has been uprooted — many people displaced multiple times by the fighting.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas praised the recognition as a “milestone step toward justice,” saying it would help pave the way for a sovereign State of Palestine “to live side by side with the State of Israel in security, peace, and good neighbourliness.”
Israel, which staunchly opposes unilateral recognition, has yet to issue a formal response, but officials have previously argued that such measures only harden Palestinian positions and make negotiations harder. Washington, meanwhile, continues to insist that statehood must come through direct talks between the two sides — talks that have been frozen for over a decade.
For Palestinians, however, Sunday’s decision marks a rare diplomatic victory at a time of unprecedented suffering, and for many, a glimmer of hope that the world may finally be willing to exert pressure for a political settlement.

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