Why it matters:
The simultaneous recognition by three major Western powers signals a shift in international momentum toward the two-state solution and increases pressure on Israel amid its ongoing genocidal campaign in Gaza and the West Bank.
The big picture:
Palestinian officials have long demanded recognition as a step toward ending decades of occupation.
More than 140 countries, largely in the Global South, already recognise Palestine. Western governments have historically held back, citing negotiations with Israel.
The move comes as famine spreads in Gaza and rights groups accuse Israel of blocking humanitarian aid and using “brutal tactics” against civilians.
What they’re saying:
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer:
We call again on the Israeli government to lift the unacceptable restrictions at the border, stop these cruel tactics, and let the aid surge in. With the actions of Hamas, the Israeli government is escalating the conflict, and settlement building is being accelerated in the West Bank; the hope of a two-state solution is fading. But we cannot let that light go out. That is why we are building consensus with leaders in the region and beyond, around our framework for peace."
Canadian Prime Minister:
The current Israeli government is “systematically working to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.”
Australian government statement:
Recognition of Palestine is “in support of the legitimate and longstanding aspirations of the Palestinian people to have an independent state.”
Go deeper:
The coordinated recognition adds weight to global calls for an immediate ceasefire and renewed peace talks.
Mojtaba Darabi - Hossein Amiri
