UK to Recognise Palestine: A Historic Shift in Middle East Diplomacy

British PM Keir Starmer announces plans to recognise Palestine at the UNGA 2025 unless Israel commits to a ceasefire and two-state solution. This marks a major policy shift 108 years after the Balfour Declaration, reshaping global diplomacy on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

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Context

  • British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the UK will recognise the State of Palestine at the upcoming UN General Assembly in September unless Israel agrees to a Gaza ceasefire, facilitates more humanitarian aid, and commits to a two-state peace process.

Growing Recognition of Statehood of Palestine

  • Following the United Kingdom Prime Minister announcement, States like France have also pledged to recognise the State of Palestine.
  • Canada and Portugal has also expressed similar views.
  • As a 21 month long war in Gaza and the Humanitarian Disaster has posed a fresh set of Diplomatic challenges for the State of ISRAEL.

Current Situation in recognising the State of Palestine

  • Out of 193 UN member states, 147 have already recognised Palestine as of 2025, but major Western powers had long resisted, linking recognition to a final Israel-Palestine peace settlement. 
  • That stance is now shifting. Russia and China, both UN Security Council (UNSC) permanent members, already recognise Palestine. 
  • If France and the UK follow through on their recent pledges, the U.S. will become the only P5 member opposing recognition, isolating itself diplomatically. 
  • The inclusion of France, the UK, and Canada—key G7 members—adds significant weight, potentially influencing others to follow.

Balfour Declaration and the Jewish Homeland

  • The Balfour Declaration was a public statement issued by the British government in 1917 during World War I announcing its support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine, which was then an Ottoman region with a small Jewish minority population.
  • The declaration originated in a letter from the United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour to Lord Rothschild, a leader of the British Jewish community. The declaration's text was published in the press on November 9, 1917.
  • The Balfour Declaration, later endorsed by the U.S., became a pivotal moment in Zionist history, legitimising Jewish claims to Palestine and shaping the geopolitical future of the region.

UK Recognition and a Symbolic Shift

  • Britain’s decision to recognise Palestine, 108 years after the Balfour Declaration, carries profound symbolic weight given its historic role in the Israel-Palestine conflict. 
  • While the recognition may not immediately alter Israel’s occupation, it signifies a major shift in Britain’s policy stance. 
  • With Israel facing global accusations of genocide and harrowing images of Gaza’s devastation circulating, it has become increasingly untenable for Western nations, including the UK, to support Israel unconditionally. 
  • Britain’s move reflects growing international pressure for a more balanced approach towards the Palestinian cause.


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