Hot SourceEmmanuel Addeh in Abuja
A wave of Israel’s allies have announced their recognition of the state of Palestine, as part of a wider manoeuvre designed to ostracise Hamas and challenge attempts by the Israeli government to erase the chance of a Palestinian homeland.
The UK, Canada and Australia formally declared their recognition of Palestinian statehood yesterday in separate but coordinated statements. The move marks the first members of the G7 advanced economies to take the step, the UK Guardian reported. Portugal announced its move late on Sunday too.
Other countries also joining the list of 147 UN states that recognise Palestine are Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Malta and possibly New Zealand and Liechtenstein. The other nations are set to make their formal announcement on Monday (today) at a special UN conference to revive the waning cause of a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
However, the delicate and partly symbolic move by as many 10 states, pioneered largely by the French government, has the potential to lead to a negative spiral of further confrontation amid fears Israel will respond by annexing parts of the West Bank, leading in turn to European trade sanctions and further political isolation for Israel, including an ultimate possible suspension from the UN.
“Canada recognises the state of Palestine and offers our partnership in building the promise of a peaceful future,” the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, wrote on X.
Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said Canberra’s move “recognises the legitimate and long held aspirations of the people of Palestine to a state of their own”.
The British prime minister, Keir Starmer, said: “In the face of the growing horrors in the Middle East we are acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and a two-state solution. That means a safe and secure Israel, alongside a viable Palestinian state. At the moment we have neither.”
The declarations with various conditions and emphases attached reflect the conflicting domestic pressures on governments as they face a backlash from Israel, and from hostage families that claim the move effectively rewards Hamas for its attack on Israel on 7 October 2023.
António Guterres, the UN secretary general, urged states not to be intimidated by Israel’s threats to annex parts of the West Bank.
Germany, Italy and some of the Baltic states are the biggest holdouts to recognition, but pressure is rising within the Italian coalition government to risk the ire of the US.
Macron, identified by Israel as the galvanising force behind the surge in recognitions, went on Israel’s Channel 12 to warn “the approach of your government and some ministers especially is to destroy the possibility of a two-state solution.”
He said “an emergency had been created” by the building of new major settlements that meant the world “is at the last minute before proposing two states will become totally impossible”. He insisted recognition was not a reward for Hamas, since the terrorist group wanted an Islamic state and the destruction of Israel, something a two-state solution would preclude.
The US and Israel have been boycotting the meetings leading up to Monday’s UN conference on a two-state solution. At the heart of their difference is the Israeli belief that the Palestinian Authority (PA), led by the 86-year-old president, Mahmoud Abbas, can never be a credible partner for peace.
The US state department has tried to block Abbas from speaking from the rostrum at the UN in New York by denying US visas to the PA, a move that triggered a 145 to five vote at the UN general assembly to allow him to speak via a video link.
As of 2025, around 146-151 UN member states have formally recognised Palestine. That’s about 75-78 per cent of the 193 UN member states. The Holy See (Vatican) also recognises Palestine.
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