Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia have formally recognized a Palestinian state, joining 147 United Nations member states and aligning themselves with France and other European allies in a coordinated push for a two-state solution.
The announcements came on Sunday, first from the governments of Canada and Australia, which described the move as part of a “co-ordinated international effort,” and later from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who confirmed Britain’s position in a video statement.
“While Canada is under no illusions that this recognition is a panacea, this recognition is firmly aligned with the principles of self-determination and fundamental human rights reflected in the United Nations Charter, and the consistent policy of Canada for generations,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office said.
Starmer, Carney and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese are delivering on earlier pledges to join allies such as France in backing Palestinian statehood. The timing coincides with this week’s UN General Assembly in New York, where more countries are expected to follow.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron has already confirmed his country will officially recognize Palestine during the meetings in September. France and Saudi Arabia will co-chair a conference on the two-state solution on Monday, where Carney is scheduled to speak.
Carney tied Canada’s recognition to commitments made by the Palestinian Authority, including plans to hold elections in 2026 without Hamas participation and to maintain a demilitarized state. His office said those assurances have been provided to Canada and the international community.
The move has sparked sharp criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said recognition “rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism” and “punishes its victims.” He warned that a Palestinian state on Israel’s border would pose a “grave threat” and argued the decision undermines efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and negotiate the release of hostages.
Israel has vowed to resist the recognition drive at the UN and in “all other arenas.” Netanyahu accused the international community of promoting “false propaganda” and said a Palestinian state would endanger Israel’s existence.
Britain, while recognizing Palestine, has kept firm demands on Hamas. The government insists the group must release hostages, disarm, sign on to a ceasefire and accept it will have no role in Gaza’s future governance. Starmer also announced plans to impose further sanctions on Hamas leaders in the coming weeks.
“In the face of the growing horror in the Middle East, we are acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and a two-state solution,” Starmer said, describing conditions in Gaza as “utterly intolerable.”
For Carney, the decision reflects his broader foreign policy goal of reducing Canada’s dependence on the United States and deepening ties with European partners. His July pledge to recognize Palestine drew immediate warnings from US President Donald Trump, who said it could threaten Canada’s ability to secure a trade deal with Washington.
Diplomatic sources say Ottawa has held extensive talks with the US in recent weeks to limit fallout. A Canadian official briefing reporters stressed that the policy is “well understood” in Washington, adding that both countries still share the same objective of Middle East peace.
The debate comes against the backdrop of escalating conflict. Israel is pressing ahead with a ground offensive into Gaza City after weeks of airstrikes, while violence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and ongoing settlement expansion have further eroded hopes of a two-state solution.
Recognition by Canada, the UK and Australia do not diminish their commitment to Israel’s security, Carney’s office said, but instead reflect a belief that a lasting peace depends on the establishment of two states.