Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada have formally announced the recognition of Palestine as an independent state.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made the announcement in New York during the UN General Assembly and a key conference on the Middle East two-state solution. The move came in coordination with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Albanese said Australia acknowledges the Palestinian people’s “legitimate and long-standing aspirations for their own state,” while stressing that the Palestinian Authority must meet international conditions to establish an embassy and maintain active relations— including recognizing Israel, holding democratic elections, and implementing financial and governance reforms.
According to British media, Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed the UK’s recognition of Palestine, recalling his earlier call in July for Israel to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Similarly, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared that Canada now officially recognizes the State of Palestine. He criticized the current Israeli government for obstructing the creation of a Palestinian state through aggressive West Bank settlement expansion, which violates international law. Carney highlighted that Israel’s ongoing attacks in Gaza have killed tens of thousands of civilians, displaced over a million people, and blatantly violated international law.
“In this context, Canada recognizes the State of Palestine and offers its contribution to building a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel,” he said.
More countries, including the UK and Portugal, are expected to announce recognition of Palestine before the start of the UN General Assembly’s key week, in a bid to increase pressure on Israel over the Gaza crisis.
