Britain, Canada and Australia recognize the state of Palestine – Netanyahu says “there will be no Palestinian state”
Express newspaper
22/09/2025 7:19
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has officially announced the recognition of the state of Palestine, describing this as a historic step and a fundamental change in London’s policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In a video statement on Platform X, Starmer said the decision had been made “to keep alive the possibility of peace and a two-state solution.” He, as quoted by The Guardian, said that this is not a reward for Hamas, but an attempt to pave the way towards a more just and peaceful future for both peoples.
Following the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada also announced their recognition of the Palestinian state, while Portugal and France are expected to follow soon. These decisions were welcomed by the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, who stressed that the recognition will contribute to the creation of a sovereign Palestine that coexists with Israel in security and good neighborliness, writes the BBC.
However, the reaction from Israel was immediate and harsh. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that “The Palestinian state will never happen” and that the countries that have recognized it “They are giving a huge reward to terrorism.” He recalled the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, where over 1,200 people were killed and hundreds were taken hostage, charging that any international recognition is “diplomatic gift to Hamas.”
The US government has also supported Israel’s position, arguing that recognizing a Palestinian state at this time undermines peace efforts and strengthens Hamas. However, Hamas reacted by calling the move by London, Canada and Australia “a political victory for the Palestinian cause” and “evidence that Israel’s isolation is growing.”
According to the British Foreign Office, recognition means accepting a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with equal land swaps, to be finalised in future negotiations. This is a vision based on a two-state solution – a Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital, side by side with Israel.
Currently, over 140 UN member states have recognized Palestine, but its borders, capital, and status remain internationally undefined.
London’s decision comes just days before the UN General Assembly, where debates on the conflict in Gaza and the prospects for a peace deal are expected to intensify. Efforts for a ceasefire have so far failed, while tensions remain high after recent Israeli bombings, including an attack on a Hamas negotiating delegation in Qatar, sparked international outrage.