In a significant diplomatic shift, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia have simultaneously announced their formal recognition of a Palestinian state. The coordinated move is described by the nations as a crucial step towards a renewed peace process in the Middle East.
In a video statement released on social media, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated the decision is intended to keep “alive the possibility of peace” and a two-state solution. He emphasised that the UK would continue to work for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, saying, “We will keep fighting to bring them home.”
The announcement was met with immediate and fierce condemnation from Israeli leadership. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in his own video address, accused the three nations of “giving a huge reward to terrorism” and vowed that such a state “will not happen.”
The move deepens the diplomatic isolation of Israel following its military offensive in Gaza. The recognition is largely symbolic but carries political weight, increasing international pressure on Israel to return to negotiations. Other Israeli politicians from governing coalition parties have echoed Netanyahu’s outrage, labelling the decision a “grave error” that undermines Israel’s security.
Palestinian officials have welcomed the announcements as a vindication of their long-standing quest for statehood. The recognitions align with a growing consensus among European and other Western nations that a two-state solution is the only viable path to lasting peace.
