Canada, Australia and UK Recognize Palestinian Statehood
To explain their recognition of Palestine, leaders from Ottawa, London, and Canberra cited frustration with the collapse of peace talks and the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza.
People take part in a demonstration organised by Defend Our Juries in support of Palestinian people in Gaza outside Queen Elizabeth House, the UK Government building in Edinburgh, Scotland on September 6, 2025. Photo by Anadolu Images.
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n a dramatic diplomatic shift, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom announced on Sunday that they are formally recognizing the State of Palestine, breaking with decades of alignment with Israel and joining a growing international push to end the war in Gaza.
The coordinated move by three of Israel’s closest Western allies piles pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and places them at odds with the United States, which continues to oppose unilateral recognition outside of direct negotiations. France is expected to follow suit at next week’s UN General Assembly, further isolating Israel as it pushes forward with a large-scale offensive on Gaza City.
In their joint statements, leaders from Ottawa, London, and Canberra cited frustration with the collapse of peace talks and the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, where UN agencies warn of famine and where dozens were reported killed Sunday in renewed Israeli strikes. The three countries said recognition was necessary to “keep alive the possibility of a two-state solution.”
Netanyahu vows: “There will be no Palestinian state”
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu rejected the move outright, vowing, “there will be no Palestinian state.” He accused the three governments of “rewarding terror” after Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attacks, and pledged to continue expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank. “The response to the latest attempt to force a terror state upon us in the heart of our land will be given after my return from the United States. Wait for it,” Netanyahu said in a fiery statement.
Palestinian officials, by contrast, welcomed the announcement. A senior Hamas figure, Basem Naim, described it as “a welcomed step” toward affirming Palestinians’ rights, but insisted it must be followed by concrete action. “The highest priority now is to stop the genocide and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip and to end the humanitarian blockade,” he told CNN.
Diplomats noted that the recognition marks a watershed moment in international politics: three G7 countries openly challenging Washington’s approach to the conflict. Analysts say the decision may accelerate momentum toward broader recognition within Europe and beyond, though the absence of U.S. support continues to limit immediate diplomatic impact.
Gaza city offensive
The announcements come as the war in Gaza enters a new and deadlier phase. Israel has pressed ahead with its ground invasion of Gaza City, insisting Hamas’ leadership remains entrenched there. Aid groups warn the humanitarian situation is collapsing, with food, water, and medical supplies running dangerously low for Gaza’s 2.2 million residents.
With more nations signaling readiness to back Palestinian statehood, the diplomatic battle is likely to intensify at the UN General Assembly. For Israel, already under scrutiny at the International Court of Justice over allegations of genocide in Gaza, the recognition drive represents both a legal and political challenge. For Palestinians, long denied sovereignty, it represents a symbolic but significant step toward international legitimacy.
(Source: Aljazeera English)
