Great Britain, Australia and Canada recognized a Palestinian state on Sunday in a seismic change in decades of Western foreign policy, which caused the rapid Israeli anger.
Portugal also recognized the Palestinian state later on Sunday, since Israel was under great international pressure on the conflict in Gaza triggered almost two years ago by the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023.
“Today, to relive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a solution of two states, the United Kingdom formally recognizes the state of Palestine,” said the United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in a message about X.
Great Britain and Canada became the first G7 countries to take the step, with France and other nations, it is expected to continue in the UN General Assembly, which opens Monday in New York.
“Canada recognizes the state of Palestine and offers our association to develop the promise of a peaceful future for both the state of Palestine and for the State of Israel,” wrote Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in X.
It is a decisive moment for the Palestinians and their ambitions for decades for state, with the most powerful western nations that have argued for a long time that it should only be part of a peace agreement negotiated with Israel.
But the measure puts those countries in disagreement with the United States and Israel, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacting angry and promising to oppose UN conversations.
Calls to a Palestinian state “would endanger our existence and serve as [an] Absurd reward for terrorism, ”said Netanyahu on Sunday.
A growing number of allies has long changed positions, since Israel has intensified his Gaza offensive, promising to eliminate Hamas.
The Gaza Strip has suffered vast destruction, a number of spiral deaths and a lack of food that has caused a great humanitarian crisis since the beginning of the conflict, which has attracted an international protest.
‘Special Load’
The United Kingdom government has had a growing public pressure to act, and Miles joined each month in the streets. A survey published by Yougov on Friday showed two thirds of British young people between 18 and 25 years old, the Palestinian state supported.
The Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy acknowledged in the UN in July that “Great Britain has a special charge of responsibility to support the solution of two states.”
More than a century ago, the United Kingdom was fundamental in establishing the basis for the creation of the State of Israel to Balfour Declaration of 1917.
The three quarters of the UN members already recognize the Palestinian status, with more than 140 of the 193 have taken the step.
Starmer said in July that his labor government intended to recognize a Palestinian state unless Israel took “substantive” measures, including reaching a high fire in Gaza, obtaining more help in the territory and confirming that it would not annexed the West Bank.
Starmer has also repeatedly asked Hamas to release the remaining hostages who captured in the 2023 attack, and is expected to expose new sanctions to the Palestinian group.
Lammy told BBC On Sunday, the Palestinian authority, the civilian body that governs in the areas of the West Bank, had been asking for the move for some time, “and I think that much of that is wrapped in hope.”
“Will this feed children? No, it won’t, that is due to humanitarian aid. But he said it was an attempt to” endure “a solution of two states.
Palestinian Foreign Minister, Varsen Aghabekian Shahin AFP Last week: “Recognition is not symbolic. He sends a very clear message to the Israelis about their illusions to continue their occupation forever,” he said.
‘Worrying evolution’
The 2023 attack by Hamas south of Israel resulted in the death of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to a AFP Tally of official figures. The Israel retaliation campaign has killed at least 65,208 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Gaza Ministry of Health that the United Nations considers reliable.
Portugal said he will also formally declare his recognition in New York on Sunday.
“By acting now, as the Portuguese government has decided, we keep the possibility of having two states alive,” said Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
