Pressmediaofindia
Related Articles
25-09-2025
UNITED NATIONS: France, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Andorra and Belgium have formally recognized a Palestinian state at the 80th session of the General Assembly (UNGA).
They join Canada, Australia and Portugal, as well as the United Kingdom, which announced its recognition on Sunday, as Israel pushes ahead with settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and escalates its genocide in Gaza.
The UK’s decision to formally recognize a Palestinian state comes more than 100 years after the Balfour Declaration backed “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people” and 77 years after the creation of Israel in the British Mandate of Palestine.
“In the face of the growing horror in the Middle East, we are acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and of a two-state solution,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a video statement Sunday.
The declarations by major Western powers, long considered close allies of Israel underscore its growing international isolation amid a war on Gaza which has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians.
Which countries now recognize Palestine?
Currently, the State of Palestine is recognized as a sovereign nation by 157 of the 193 UN member states, representing 81 percent of the international community. In addition, it is recognized by the Holy See, the governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City, which holds UN non-member observer status.
What does recognition mean?
Recognizing Palestine strengthens its global standing, boosts its capacity to hold Israeli authorities accountable for their occupation, and increases pressure on Western powers to work towards a two-state solution. Specifically, it would allow Palestinians to:
Open embassies with full diplomatic status
Engage in trade agreements
Gain support at international forums
Approach the International Criminal Court (ICC)
Recognition will not:
End the war in Gaza
Stop Israel’s brutal military occupation.
While recognition has little immediate effect on Israeli policy in the occupied territory, it does reflect a surge of international backing for Palestinian statehood.
Martin Griffiths, director of Mediation Group International, told media the recognition of Palestine is only a first step.
“This is the entry point, but it’s not the end point,” he said, urging countries such as the UK to uphold their obligations under the International Court of Justice by facilitating humanitarian aid, ending arms sales and easing blockades.
He added that governments must also support reforms to make the Palestinian Authority “fit for purpose”, noting efforts by France, Saudi Arabia, Norway and Spain.
“It brings hope … but it doesn’t necessarily bring a future yet,” Griffiths said.
Together with Mexico, these countries marked 11 new recognitions in 2025 and the 20th since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October 2023, reflecting a growing wave of international recognition for Palestine.
Israel’s reaction
Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, described the UN summit on Palestinian statehood as a “circus” and said moves to recognize Palestine “reward terrorism”. (Int’l Monitoring Desk)
