Canada, the U.K., and Australia formally recognized Palestine, with Canada’s Mark Carney, the U.K.’s Keir Starmer, and Australia’s Anthony Albanese citing peace and a two-state solution.
The nations demand Palestinian Authority reforms, including 2026 elections and Hamas’s exclusion, while condemning Israel’s West Bank settlements and Gaza crisis.
Israel and the U.S. criticize the move as premature, but it aligns with nearly 150 UN states, potentially reshaping UNGA talks
In a coordinated move, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia formally recognized the State of Palestine on Sunday, September 21, 2025, just days before the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. This landmark decision marks a significant departure from their traditional alignment with the United States, which, alongside Israel, has criticized the move as premature.
The announcements came in rapid succession. Canada, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, became the first G7 nation to recognize Palestine, with Carney emphasizing a “peaceful future” for both Israel and Palestine. Moments later, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared recognition to “revive the hope of peace” and a two-state solution, citing the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese followed, affirming the “independent and sovereign State of Palestine” in a joint statement with Foreign Minister Penny Wong, effective immediately.
The move, described as largely symbolic by NBC News, grants Palestine increased diplomatic standing without altering the ground realities in Gaza, where over 65,000 have died since October 2023, or the occupied West Bank. The recognition aligns with nearly 150 UN member states, including recent announcements from France, Belgium, and Portugal, as reported by The Independent.
The recognitions are conditional, with Australia and Canada emphasizing reforms by the Palestinian Authority, including democratic elections by 2026, exclusion of Hamas from governance, and demilitarization commitments. The U.K. reiterated that Hamas, responsible for the October 7, 2023, attacks, must release hostages and have no role in Palestine’s future, with plans for new sanctions on the group, per WIONews.
The decision follows months of warnings, notably Starmer’s July pledge to act if Israel failed to address Gaza’s crisis and commit to a ceasefire. Australia’s shift, foreshadowed in August, breaks decades of bipartisan policy, as noted by SBS News. The coordinated effort aims to build momentum for a two-state solution, starting with a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release, according to joint statements from the three nations.
