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ISTANBUL<\/strong><\/p>\n With Israel expanding its devastating war on Gaza and pushing for reoccupation as the humanitarian toll mounts, a growing number of European governments are breaking from decades of caution to signal recognition of Palestinian statehood.<\/p>\n France, the UK, and Portugal are among the latest to declare plans to extend recognition during the UN General Assembly in September, a move experts say is driven by shifting geopolitics, surging public outrage, and disillusionment with US-led diplomacy.<\/p>\n The wave of announcements reflects a wider recalibration in Europe\u2019s approach to the Middle East, where support for the two-state solution is colliding with the political realities of Israel\u2019s ongoing military campaign in Gaza. French President Emmanuel Macron set the tone in July, telling the world: \u201cFaithful to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine.\u201d<\/p>\n UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer quickly followed, pledging Britain would act unless Israel takes \u201csubstantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza.\u201d In Portugal, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said his government would consult parties and stakeholders on recognition.<\/p>\n Their moves add to momentum generated in the past year by Norway, Ireland, Spain, and Slovenia \u2013 all of which have formally recognized Palestine \u2013 and signal that long-time backers of Israel are reassessing their positions.<\/p>\n Analysts say the harrowing nature of Israel\u2019s military assault, now in its 22nd month, has been the single biggest driver of this shift.<\/p>\n \u201cFrance is now taking action, like many other countries, in response to the atrocities committed by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip. Images of the population affected by famine due to the blockade are having a significant impact on public opinion,\u201d Valerie Stiegler of the University of Paris I told Anadolu.<\/p>\n Stiegler noted that France\u2019s recognition decision is \u201cobviously a symbolic gesture\u201d but one consistent with its diplomatic tradition and intended to keep alive the two-state solution, which she says is \u201cunder threat\u201d as Israel openly signals an intent to wipe out Gaza.<\/p>\n Christian Lequesne of Sciences Po Strasbourg agreed, saying the civilian toll and starvation are \u201ccreating a movement of public opinion everywhere in Europe, and it\u2019s difficult for governments not to react to that.\u201d<\/p>\n Some observers, Stiegler added, see the recognition push as a substitute for more robust EU-level action, noting the bloc\u2019s refusal to suspend its association agreement with Israel.<\/p>\n Europe trying to step up as US stalls?<\/strong><\/p>\n Experts say European leaders such as Macron believe the negotiations on a Gaza ceasefire remain deadlocked under US President Donald Trump, and are seeking to fill the diplomatic vacuum.<\/p>\n \u201cFrench authorities have seized the opportunity by seeking to promote a more measured diplomatic solution, while Trump\u2019s US is unable to end the war and appears increasingly aligned with the Israeli position,\u201d Stiegler said.<\/p>\n Paris, she added, wants to create a \u201cripple effect\u201d in response to the \u201cpersistent failure\u201d of negotiations under US leadership, presenting \u201ca \u2018third way\u2019 in order to present an alternative to US policy.\u201d<\/p>\n Lequesne described Europe\u2019s recognition drive as a form of \u201cindirect pressure\u201d on Washington.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is why Macron decided to recognize Palestine, because he wants to keep this \u2026 diplomatic perspective,\u201d he said, adding that Europe has little confidence in the Trump administration\u2019s approach.<\/p>\n On whether economics factored into the timing, Lequesne said the impetus is primarily political, though any long-term settlement will require engaging Middle Eastern powers.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would be a total mistake to consider that just Europe and the United States could solve the situation,\u201d he said, noting that regional actors must be part of the solution.<\/p>\n What recognition could mean<\/strong><\/p>\n For Lequesne, the recognition push aims to preserve the possibility of a political settlement, but Europe cannot achieve this alone. \u201cEurope is too weak to do that alone. That\u2019s the issue,\u201d he said, adding that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would only listen to Trump.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Trump said something to Netanyahu, then it could change,\u201d he noted, but divisions within Europe persist over how far to push the US.<\/p>\n Some advocate stronger pressure, while others want to avoid straining ties needed for cooperation on Ukraine, especially with reduced US aid there, he explained.<\/p>\n At its core, Lequesne said, the recognition move is about keeping the two-state solution on the table \u2013 and the involvement of G7 nations such as France and the UK could \u201cintroduce more credibility\u201d to that goal.<\/p>\n However, he warned that Europe\u2019s fragmented approach undermines its influence. \u201cI\u2019m sad to say that if Europe would be more united, Europe could have a stronger voice in diplomacy. But that\u2019s not exactly what I\u2019m observing currently,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n