How significant is UK's move to recognise Palestinian state, and why now?

Al Jazeera

3 days ago

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday announced that his country will recognise the state of Palestine by September, unless Israel takes 'substantive steps' to end its war on Gaza and commit to a genuine peace process.
A government statement released following an emergency cabinet meeting on Tuesday said Starmer indicated the recognition could take place before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
The United Kingdom's decision comes days after Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said his country will recognise the state of Palestine.
Here is what we know about the announcement and its implications.
What did Starmer say?
Starmer's announcement is being seen as a big change in British foreign policy.
'I've always said we will recognise a Palestinian state as a contribution to a proper peace process, at the moment of maximum impact for the two-state solution,' Starmer said.
'With that solution now under threat, this is the moment to act.'
He added: 'So today, as part of this process towards peace, I can confirm that the UK will recognise the state of Palestine by the United Nations General Assembly in September, unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza.'
Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy, attending a UN conference in New York led by France and Saudi Arabia to promote the two-state solution, echoed the sentiment.
Lammy said it was 'with the hand of history on our shoulders' that London planned to recognise Palestinian statehood, given Britain's pivotal role in Israel's creation through the 1917 Balfour Declaration.
Responding to questions about the time of this decision, Starmer cited the 'intolerable' conditions in Gaza and growing alarm over the weakening prospects for a two-state solution.
He said he wanted to ensure that the decision 'plays a part in changing the conditions on the ground, making sure that aid gets in'.
'It's done now because I am particularly concerned that the very idea of a two-state solution is reducing, and it feels further way today than it has for many years,' he said.
The announcement came after an emergency cabinet meeting, highlighting the growing political pressure from within his Labour Party.
The UK prime minister has been facing public pressure over Israel's devastating war on Gaza, which experts and rights organisations have dubbed an act of genocide.
Israel has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians since it launched its offensive on October 7, 2023. Israel says its military onslaught was in response to the Hamas-led attacks that left at least 1,139 people dead in Israel, but rights groups have slammed its scorched earth tactics in Gaza.
Starmer emphasised that the recognition of Palestine has long been a part of Labour Party policy and forms a central pillar of a broader peace initiative that the government has been developing over time.
'As our election manifesto said, Palestinian statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people. It is not in the gift of any neighbour and is also essential to the long-term security of Israel,' a statement issued by the prime minister's office said.
'We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state as a contribution to a renewed peace process which results in a two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.'
What specific conditions did Starmer set for recognising Palestine?
Starmer laid out a series of conditions he said Israel must fulfil if it wishes the UK not to recognise Palestinian statehood, which include:
Take substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza
Agree to a ceasefire
Commit to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution
Allow the UN to restart the supply of aid
Make clear there will be no annexations in the West Bank.
The prime minister also reiterated the demands that remain in place for Hamas, which are:
Release all captives
Sign up to a ceasefire
Commit to disarmament
Acknowledge that they will play no part in the government of Gaza.
The UK government will assess the extent to which the two parties, Israel and Hamas, have met its conditions before taking a call in September.
What does recognising Palestine as a state mean, and which other countries have done so?
As of now, the State of Palestine is recognised as a sovereign nation by 147 of the 193 UN member states, about 75 percent of the international community.
Three other European countries, Spain, Ireland, and Norway, officially recognised Palestine last year.
France will recognise a Palestinian state during the UNGA in September.
According to experts, the recognition may have limited practical effect, but diplomatically, it could be significant, potentially pressuring the US, one of Israel's main backers, to reconsider its stance.
'Even if this is not a big step in the humanitarian sense – if you are starving in Gaza, these words of diplomats and politicians maybe don't matter that much – but diplomatically, this is massive. And what really struck me was the specificity of Starmer's demands,' William Lawrence, a former US diplomat, told Al Jazeera.
'And if the whole world, all turn to Trump with that sort of specific outline and common cause, it will have an effect on Trump. All of this matters, even if it doesn't fix the problem instantaneously. Everyone is moving in the right direction now, both in terms of pressuring Israel and in terms of pressuring the United States,' Lawrence added.
Is the UK really preparing to recognise Palestine, and why now?
According to Al Jazeera's Milena Veselinovic, Starmer is currently under significant pressure.
'He is under a lot of pressure, domestically, here from the public, as well as from his own members of parliament to make some move on this issue; people have been moved by those images of people starving in the last few days,' Veselinovic said while reporting from London.
Last week, 221 members of parliament from nine political parties signed a letter addressed to Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy, urging them to recognise a Palestinian state. That number has since risen to 255.
221 MPs, from 9 parties, have sent a joint letter to the Prime Minister & Foreign Secretary urging them to recognise Palestine as a state now pic.twitter.com/b2hbX2XCGR
— Sarah Champion (@SarahChampionMP) July 25, 2025
Veselinovic added that the UK is not promising to recognise a Palestinian state.
'[This is not] like when the French President Macron said he will do that, he will recognise the Palestine state in September, this is a way of pressure that the UK government is hoping to apply on the Israeli government to try to improve the conditions on the ground in Gaza,' she added.
Will it have any practical effect on the situation in Gaza?
Lammy, the UK foreign secretary, said the move will hopefully 'affect the situation on the ground' and lead to a ceasefire in Gaza.
The world had seen 'the most horrific scenes' in Gaza and the time had come to 'abate the suffering of the Palestinian people', he said speaking at the UN.
Scepticism, however, remains high as some question the sincerity behind recent announcements.
Al Jazeera's senior political analyst Bishara said leaders, including Starmer and Macron, continue to support Israel in its war on Gaza.
'We need to see some measures being taken other than just lofty rhetoric, because they are in no position to be talking about peace and justice when they are accomplices in genocide,' he said.
Bishara also criticised the lack of specifics from the two leaders when they announced their plans to recognise a Palestinian state.
'Is it a state in 10 percent of the West Bank? Or is it a state on all territories occupied in 1967 – including East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza – as contiguous sovereign territories?' he added.
How has Israel responded?
'Starmer rewards Hamas's monstrous terrorism & punishes its victims,' Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said on X.
Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said the UK move 'harms efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of hostages', adding that Starmer's announcement followed 'the French move and internal political pressures'.
France became the first G7 member to announce its intention to recognise a Palestinian state, with President Macron describing the decision as part of the country's 'historical commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East'.
Israel rejects the statement by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
The shift in the British government's position at this time, following the French move and internal political pressures, constitutes a reward for Hamas and harms efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and… pic.twitter.com/CG2tueCYRe
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) July 29, 2025