 "UK may recognise Palestinian statehood at UN in September: What will change?")
Britain is preparing to formally recognise the state of Palestine during the United Nations General Assembly in September, a potential milestone in decades of diplomacy in West Asia.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s announcement on Tuesday, marked the clearest signal yet that the UK intends to take a step long deferred by most major Western powers.
Starmer linked the decision to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where stark images of children suffering from hunger have triggered worldwide outrage.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “The Palestinian people have endured terrible suffering. Now, in Gaza, because of a catastrophic failure of aid, we see starving babies, children too weak to stand, images that will stay with us for a lifetime. The suffering must end.”
How have Israel & co. reacted?
Starmer pointed out that Britain’s move would go ahead unless Israel acted on several points. These include halting any annexation of the West Bank, agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza and entering a long-term peace process that results in a two-state solution.
Starmer’s declaration came just a day after discussions in Scotland with US President Donald Trump.
While Trump told journalists he “did not mind” if Britain proceeded, Washington has never recognised Palestinian statehood and remains Israel’s strongest backer.
Starmer also spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone prior to the announcement, reported Reuters, citing a source familiar with the talks.
Israel’s foreign ministry responded sharply on X, calling the UK’s move a “reward for Hamas” and warning that it would harm current efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 29, 2025
"Starmer rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism & punishes its victims.
A jihadist state on Israel’s border TODAY will threaten Britain TOMORROW.
Appeasement towards jihadist terrorists always fails. It will fail you too. It will not happen."
Meanwhile, a hunger monitor earlier that day warned of a “worst-case scenario of famine” developing in Gaza if immediate intervention did not occur.
Israel has rejected allegations that it is deliberately withholding food aid, with Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stating that conditions were “tough” but claiming “lies” were circulating about deliberate starvation.
What are Starmer’s conditions?
The UK cabinet convened an emergency session before releasing a detailed statement that laid out conditions for recognition.
It repeated calls for Israel to commit to a ceasefire, allow humanitarian assistance from the UN to resume, clarify that no West Bank annexations would take place, and join a lasting peace framework.
My statement on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and our plan for peace including the recognition of a Palestinian State. pic.twitter.com/aMUCNwJb9z
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 29, 2025
The statement also outlined expectations for Hamas. London demanded the immediate release of all Israeli hostages, a commitment to disarm, acceptance of a ceasefire, and agreement not to play any role in the future administration of Gaza.
This position echoes the Labour Party’s long-standing pledge to recognise a Palestinian state “at a time of maximum impact,” a stance that Starmer has now determined to be urgent and unavoidable.
Who else has recognised Palestine?
If Britain follows through, it would be the second member of the UN Security Council to recognise Palestine, after France made the same pledge on July 24. Malta has also confirmed it will extend recognition at the UN in September.
As of March 2025, 147 of the 193 UN member states already recognise Palestine. This group includes global powers like Russia, China and India, as well as many European nations, including Spain, Ireland and Norway.
Sweden took the step in 2014, the first Western European country to do so, followed by Spain in 2024.
While these moves were historic, they largely remained symbolic and did not substantially alter conditions for Palestinians on the ground.
What does recognition actually mean?
Recognition of statehood under international law is not just ceremonial.
The Montevideo Convention of 1933 established the criteria for statehood: a permanent population, a defined territory, an effective government, and the capacity to engage in international relations.
Formal recognition would lead to the exchange of ambassadors, the establishment of embassies, and the signing of treaties.
It would also allow Palestine greater access to international bodies and legal rights as a sovereign state.
For Palestinians, British recognition would strengthen their diplomatic claims and potentially open the door to more tangible international support.
Does it remain just a symbolic gesture?
Despite its potential significance, experts caution that recognition alone will not resolve the crisis. There have been no pledges from either France or the UK to impose sanctions on Israel, suspend arms exports, or dramatically increase humanitarian funding for Gaza.
Previous recognitions have shown the limits of such gestures. Sweden’s recognition in 2014 and Spain’s in 2024 made headlines but did little to change daily realities of occupation, restricted movement or settlement expansion.
Critics argue that without meaningful measures — such as challenging illegal settlement activity, demanding accountability for alleged war crimes, or funding Palestinian institutions — recognition risks becoming “a statement more than a strategy.”
What does it mean for the Israel-Palestine conflict?
The UK’s planned recognition reinforces the message that the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel remains the only viable route to long-term peace and security for both peoples.
British officials contend that this stance does not legitimise Hamas, which has opposed past peace efforts and carried out the attacks of October 7, 2023.
They argue that offering Palestinians a clear, peaceful path to statehood undercuts Hamas’s influence and bolsters moderate voices seeking self-determination through diplomacy.
Regional dynamics could also shift. Saudi Arabia, with strong ties to Washington and significant influence in the Arab world, is well placed to convene discussions on future Palestinian leadership and the reconstruction of Gaza.
Riyadh’s involvement could bring in other regional players such as Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, and the UAE — countries with long-standing interests and networks in Palestinian affairs.
Although normalisation between Israel and Saudi Arabia remains out of reach as long as fighting continues, UK recognition of Palestine could strengthen Saudi arguments in its talks with Washington, laying groundwork for future peace efforts.
If the recognition during the UN General Assembly in September is formalised, the UK and France will be the first G7 nations to take that step, breaking with decades of Western policy shaped by the belief that Palestinian statehood should follow “final status” talks.
With inputs from agencies
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