The United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia confirmed on Sunday that they now officially recognize Palestinian statehood, increasing pressure on Israel to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, while putting three major Western allies at odds with the Trump administration.
As reported by The New York Times, these seemingly coordinated statements were made on the eve of the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, where France and Portugal are also expected to vote for the recognition of Palestinian statehood.
The joint actions will exacerbate the diplomatic isolation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, they have not yet affected his military campaign against Hamas, which has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands in Gaza, leaving much of the enclave in ruins.
According to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, the goal of this move is to support a peaceful future for both Palestinians and Israelis. Australia emphasized that Hamas should have no role in the future of Palestine, and the Palestinian administration must implement reforms.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also noted that Hamas can have no future or role in the Palestinian government, adding that members of his family live in Israel (his wife Victoria, a native of the UK, is Jewish). «I know firsthand the psychological impact» of Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians and soldiers in October 2023, — he said. — Therefore, I know exactly where I stand on Hamas«.
Starmer announced the UK's plans at the end of July, which immediately prompted a response from Netanyahu, stating that this step rewards «the monstrous terrorism of Hamas and punishes its victims». «A jihadist state on Israel's border today will threaten the UK tomorrow», — wrote the Israeli Prime Minister.
For two months, Israel has attacked Hamas leaders in Qatar, a Gulf state where ceasefire negotiations are taking place, making it quite difficult to reach an agreement. Israeli forces are not only not reducing the scale of their military operations but are also expanding them, advancing towards Gaza's main urban center, Gaza City.
For Starmer, who worked as a human rights lawyer before entering politics, this decision was nonetheless agonizing. He has tried to avoid disagreements between the UK and the US on issues such as trade and the war in Ukraine, as well as the situation in Gaza.
At a press conference with Trump, Starmer attempted to present this step in the context of other measures, including pressure to release hostages and resume negotiations for the creation of a Palestinian state. According to him, the recognition was «part of a broader package of measures that we hope will lead us out of the horrific situation we are currently in».
Photo: The New York Times