UK to recognize Palestinian State despite US objections

The United Kingdom is expected to formally recognize a Palestinian state on Sunday, moving forward despite opposition from the United States, after concluding that Israel has failed to meet the conditions it previously set regarding the ongoing war in Gaza.

Although largely symbolic, British officials hope the move will boost diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and help revive the possibility of a long-term peace settlement in the region.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, who served as Foreign Secretary until earlier this month, confirmed that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to announce the decision later in the day.

“Recognizing a Palestinian state today does not mean it will come into existence immediately,” Lammy said in an interview with Sky News, emphasizing that the move is meant to keep hopes for a two-state solution alive. He also cautioned against equating the Palestinian people with Hamas.

In July, amid growing pressure from within the ruling Labour Party, Starmer indicated that the UK would proceed with recognition if Israel failed to implement a ceasefire in Gaza, allow humanitarian aid access via the UN, and take tangible steps toward a peaceful resolution.

The UK’s anticipated announcement comes ahead of the United Nations General Assembly this week, where several other countries — including France, Australia, and Canada — are also preparing to recognize Palestinian statehood.

The decision follows a recent state visit from U.S. President Donald Trump, who expressed clear disagreement with Prime Minister Starmer on the issue. “It’s one of the few things we don’t see eye to eye on,” Trump said.

Critics of the UK’s move, including the Israeli government and the United States, argue that recognizing a Palestinian state now effectively rewards Hamas and terrorism. However, Starmer has made it clear that Hamas will have no role in governing a future Palestinian state and reiterated demands for the group to release Israeli hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attacks.

To date, over 140 nations have recognized Palestine as a state. However, the decisions by the UK and France are especially significant due to their roles as G7 members and permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Both nations have also played pivotal historical roles in shaping the modern Middle East. Following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I, the UK assumed control of the region then known as Palestine. The 1917 Balfour Declaration, issued by the British government, supported the creation of a “national home for the Jewish people” — but also included a commitment to protect the civil and religious rights of the Palestinian population, a clause many believe has not been upheld.

Lammy, who will represent the UK at the UN this week, described that neglect as a “historic injustice” that remains unresolved.

While the UK has long supported the vision of a two-state solution, its official position has been that recognition should occur within the framework of a comprehensive peace agreement. But growing concerns that this goal is slipping away — due to Gaza’s near-total devastation, the mass displacement of Palestinians, and Israel’s continued expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank — have prompted a reassessment.

Much of the international community regards the Israeli occupation of the West Bank as a violation of international law.