LONDON — Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday announced that the United Kingdom will formally recognize a Palestinian state, a landmark policy shift that fulfills a longstanding Labour Party pledge and brings Britain into alignment with France and several other countries preparing to act this week at the United Nations.
“Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognizes the State of Palestine,” Starmer said in a post on X.
The move came as Canada and Australia also declared they would recognize Palestinian statehood, joining a majority of U.N. member states that already extend such recognition. Portugal signaled it would follow later in the day.
Starmer had promised in July that Britain would move toward recognition in September if no cease-fire had been reached in Gaza, where Israeli forces have launched a renewed ground offensive in Gaza City against Hamas in recent days.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney framed his government’s decision as an effort to support a path toward peace. “Canada recognizes 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,” he wrote in a social media post.
Israel sharply rejected the announcements. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that creating a Palestinian state under current conditions would amount to “suicide” for Israel.
“We will also have to fight at the U.N. and in all other arenas against the false propaganda directed at us and the calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state — which would endanger our existence and constitute an absurd reward for terror,” Netanyahu said.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to deliver the U.K.’s formal declaration at the U.N. General Assembly in New York later this week. Starmer will remain in London, where he faces mounting domestic scrutiny over his leadership amid economic and political challenges at home.
