Britain and Portugal are expected to recognize the State of Palestine on Sunday, September 21, ahead of a key week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where a suite of nations are set to do the same to pressure Israel over Gaza. Around 10 nations are expected to recognize a Palestinian state in the coming days, with UK media outlets like the BBC, reporting that Prime Minister Keir Starmer would announce the policy shift on Sunday – over fierce Israeli objection.
Starmer had said in July that Britain would formally recognize the State of Palestine if Israel did not take "substantive steps" towards a ceasefire with Hamas by the time the UN General Assembly convened. The Labour leader said at the time that the move would make "a contribution to a proper peace process, at the moment of maximum impact for the two-state solution."
Portugal's foreign ministry said, on Friday, that it would also formally declare its recognition on Sunday. Lisbon had already announced in July that it intended to do so, citing the "extremely worrying evolution of the conflict" as well as the humanitarian crisis and Israel's repeated threats to annex Palestinian land.
France and Canada are among the other Western nations planning to recognizƒrece a Palestinian state at the UN gathering in the coming week.
A growing number of longtime Israeli allies have shifted positions in recent months as Israel has intensified its Gaza offensive, which was triggered by Hamas's unprecedented 2023 attack. Since then, Israel has bombarded Gaza, a UN-backed hunger monitor has declared a famine in part of the territory and the Israeli military has said it will use "unprecedented force" to capture Gaza City. The besieged Palestinian territory has suffered vast destruction, death and famine that has resulted in a major humanitarian crisis.
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Starmer of rewarding "monstrous terrorism" and appeasing "jihadist" ideology. Israel has vehemently opposed the moves and has reportedly threatened to annex the West Bank in response.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Agence-France Presse (AFP) on Friday that the world "should not feel intimidated by the risk of retaliation" from Israel.