UK Set to Recognize Palestinian State: A Shift in Foreign Policy

Fri Oct 10 2025 22:27:41 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to announce the UK's recognition of a Palestinian state on Sunday, marking a significant change in the nation's foreign policy and increasing global tensions.

In a historic move, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is anticipated to announce the UK's recognition of a Palestinian state, a decision that has drawn criticism from the Israeli government and some UK Conservatives. This announcement marks a significant shift from previous UK policies that linked statehood recognition to the peace process. The decision follows escalating violence and humanitarian crises in Gaza, prompting UK ministers to cite moral responsibility and the deteriorating situation on the ground as key factors.

Sir Keir Starmer is expected to announce the UK's recognition of a Palestinian state in a statement on Sunday afternoon.

The move comes after the prime minister said in July the UK would shift its position in September unless Israel met conditions including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza and committing to a long-term sustainable peace deal that delivers a two-state solution.

It represents a major change in British foreign policy after successive governments said recognition should come as part of a peace process and at a time of maximum impact.

The move has drawn fierce criticism from the Israeli government, hostage families and some Conservatives.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously said such a move rewards terror. However, UK ministers argue there was a moral responsibility to act to keep the hope of a long-term peace deal alive.

Government sources said the situation on the ground had worsened significantly in the last few weeks, citing images showing starvation and violence in Gaza, which the prime minister has described as intolerable.

A recent UN commission of inquiry concluded Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, which Israel denounced as distorted and false. The continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, deemed illegal under international law, was also highlighted as a crucial factor in the decision to recognize Palestinian statehood.

Justice Secretary David Lammy noted the controversial E1 settlement project, which he said could jeopardize a viable Palestinian state.

Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the UK's recognition pledge earlier this month, although critics have raised concerns about doing so amid ongoing hostilities and hostage situations involving Hamas.

While the UK government believes the recognition of statehood is a right of the Palestinian people, critics question why conditions appear to be placed only on Israel and not on Hamas in negotiations for peace.

This shift in policy comes as the Israeli military continues its operations in Gaza, where a humanitarian crisis has intensified.