Three countries officially recognize Palestine

The United Kingdom, Canada and Australia have officially recognized the state of Palestine. The three countries announced this recognition through separate statements.

In a video message on Sunday (September 21), British Prime Minister Keir Starmer recognized Palestine as an independent state, saying, “To revive the hope of peace and a two-state solution, today I say clearly—as the Prime Minister of this great country—that the United Kingdom is officially recognizing the state of Palestine.”

Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the recognition of Palestine as an independent state in a statement, saying, “The current Israeli government is working in a coordinated manner to ensure that a Palestinian state can never be established. They have pursued a policy of continuous settlement expansion in the West Bank, which is illegal under international law. Their continued attacks on Gaza have killed millions of civilians, displaced millions more, and caused a horrific and preventable famine in violation of international law.

“The current Israeli government’s declared policy is that there will be no Palestinian state. In this context, Canada recognizes the state of Palestine and offers our partnership to build a promise of a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel,” the Canadian prime minister added.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement that Sunday’s recognition “is part of a concerted international effort, alongside Canada and the United Kingdom, to create new momentum for a two-state solution.”