LONDON (AP) – The United Kingdom is poised to formally recognize a Palestinian state on Sunday, despite facing opposition from the United States. This decision follows the U.K.'s evaluation that Israel has not fulfilled the conditions it had previously outlined concerning the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
While the recognition is primarily symbolic, the U.K. aims to leverage this decision to amplify diplomatic efforts toward ending the hostilities in Gaza and fostering sustainable peace in the region. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, who recently served as foreign secretary, confirmed that Prime Minister Keir Starmer will announce the recognition later in the day.
Lammy emphasized that any action toward recognizing a Palestinian state will not change the situation overnight. However, he believes that the move would help sustain the hope for a two-state solution and highlighted that associating the Palestinian populace solely with Hamas would be a misinterpretation.
Earlier in July, amid significant internal pressure within the Labour Party, Starmer stated that the U.K. would recognize a Palestinian state if Israel failed to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza, permitted the United Nations to provide humanitarian aid, and took other necessary measures towards achieving enduring peace.
This decision comes ahead of the U.N. General Assembly meeting scheduled for the following week, where other nations such as Australia, Canada, and France are also preparing to recognize a Palestinian state. The timing is noteworthy, arriving just days after U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to the U.K., during which he expressed his disapproval of the recognition plan.
Trump conveyed his disagreement with Starmer, remarking, "I have a disagreement with the prime minister on that score. It's one of our few disagreements, actually." In opposition to the recognition, critics, including the U.S. and the Israeli government, argue that this decision would reward Hamas and potentially endorse terrorism.
Starmer has reiterated that Hamas should have no role in the future governance of Palestinian affairs and insisted that the militant group must release the Israeli hostages still held following the attacks on October 7, 2023.
To date, over 140 countries have acknowledged the existence of a Palestinian state, but the recognition by France and the U.K. holds additional significance in light of both countries' membership in the Group of Seven and the U.N. Security Council. Historically, the U.K. and France have played pivotal roles in shaping the Middle East's geopolitical landscape over the past century, particularly following World War I when the Ottoman Empire was defeated, and the region was divided.
As part of that division, the U.K. assumed governance over what was then Palestine, subsequently issuing the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which supported establishing a “national home for the Jewish people.” Nonetheless, the latter part of the declaration, which assured that nothing would be done to prejudice the civil and religious rights of the Palestinians, has often been overlooked.
Lammy, representing the U.K. at the U.N. later this week, previously remarked in July that the neglect of this principle signifies a "historical injustice" that is still unfolding. Although the U.K. has consistently endorsed the idea of an independent Palestinian state existing alongside Israel, it has maintained that such recognition should be part of a comprehensive peace plan to achieve a viable two-state solution.
However, U.K. officials have increasingly expressed concern that the feasibility of a two-state solution is deteriorating. This apprehension stems not only from the extensive destruction in Gaza and the mass displacement of its residents over nearly two years of conflict but also from Israel's ongoing expansion of settlements in the West Bank—territory that Palestinians view as essential for their future state. The global consensus largely deems Israel's occupation of the West Bank as unlawful.
