Britain, Australia and Canada on Sunday recognised a Palestinian state in a coordinated, seismic shift from decades of Western foreign policy.
Portugal was also set to recognise Palestinian statehood later Sunday, as Israel comes under huge international pressure over its war on Palestinians in Gaza and the dire humanitarian situation in the besieged territory.
“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,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a message on X.
The three countries became the first members of the Group of Seven advanced economies to take the step, with France and other nations expected to follow at the annual UN General Assembly which opens Monday in New York.
“Canada recognises the State of Palestine and offers our partnership in building the promise of a peaceful future,” 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.”
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas hailed Sunday’s recognition as “an important and necessary step toward achieving a just and lasting peace in accordance with international legitimacy.”
Gaza has suffered vast destruction, with a growing international outcry over the besieged coastal territory’s spiralling death toll, with more than 65,000 people killed by Israeli troops since October 2023.