The UK yesterday recognized a Palestinian state with a landmark announcement from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as several nations were poised to follow at UN talks to pressure Israel over the Gaza war.
Canada and Australia also announced that they recognized a Palestinian state.
The Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Lisbon would “recognize the State of Palestine.”
Photo: Reuters
Although it is a largely symbolic move, the UK has become the first G7 country to take the step with France and others are expected to follow at the annual UN General Assembly which opens today in New York.
It is a watershed moment for Palestinian statehood, with the most powerful Western nations having long argued it should only be part of a negotiated peace deal with Israel.
However, a growing number of longtime allies have shifted positions, as Israel has intensified its Gaza offensive, triggered by Hamas’ unprecedented Oct. 7, 2023, attack.
The besieged Palestinian territory has suffered vast destruction, a spiraling death toll and a lack of food that has sparked a major humanitarian crisis.
The British government has come under increasing public pressure to act, with thousands rallying every month on the streets.
A poll released by YouGov on Friday showed two-thirds of young Britons aged 18 to 25 supported Palestinian statehood.
In July, Deputy British Prime Minister David Lammy, then-secretary of foreign affairs, acknowledged at the UN that “Britain bears a special burden of responsibility to support the two-state solution.”
More than a century ago, the UK was pivotal in laying the groundwork for the creation of Israel through the 1917 Balfour Declaration.
Three-quarters of UN members already recognize Palestinian statehood, with at least 145 of the 193 having taken the step or announced plans to do so.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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