UK recognises Palestine as part of push for two-state solution

LONDON — The United Kingdom formally recognised Palestine on Sunday, joining Canada, Australia and Portugal in a move the government says is intended to keep alive a two-state solution despite strong opposition from Israel. The recognition comes amid protests from Israel that the move would reward Hamas terrorists and could inflame tensions following the Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023.

In a YouGov poll conducted after the decision, 62% of Britons said recognizing Palestine would either make no real difference or could worsen the Gaza crisis. About half characterized the step as largely symbolic, with 50% saying it would make no real difference. 12% thought it would make an end to the Gaza conflict less likely, 15% believed it would make an end more likely, and 23% were unsure. Labour voters showed somewhat more optimism: 24% believed recognition would improve the chances of peace, compared with 7% who thought it would hinder an end to the crisis. Reform UK supporters were the most skeptical, with 26% saying it would make an end to the Gaza crisis less likely, 4% thinking it would help end the violence, and 58% saying it would make no real difference.

U.S. reaction was swift, with some officials opposing formal recognition of Palestinian statehood. Senator Marco Rubio criticized the move, saying recognitions by Britain and other countries were driven by domestic political pressure and migration policies, and that there is no Palestinian state on the ground.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told the United Nations General Assembly that the recognition reflects the grave reality that the two-state solution is in profound peril and that the step is intended to help keep that option alive. She stressed that Hamas has no place in future governance and that recognition should spur urgent action, including a ceasefire, the release of hostages, restoration of humanitarian aid, and a durable peace framework.

Cooper also urged Israel not to respond by expanding settlements in the West Bank. With the move now official, the UK plans to use the United Nations General Assembly to push for international backing of a peace framework aimed at reviving a two-state process.