British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Tuesday that his country will recognize Palestine’s state by September, unless Israel takes “substantial measures” to end his war against Gaza and engage in a real peace process.
A government statement published following a meeting of the Emergency Cabinet said on Tuesday that Starmer said that recognition could take place before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
The United Kingdom’s decision comes a few days after Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said that his country will recognize the state of Palestine.
Here is what we know about the announcement and its implications.
What does Starmer say?
Starmer’s announcement is considered a big change in British foreign policy.
“I have always said that we will recognize a Palestinian state as a contribution to an appropriate peace process, at the time of a maximum impact for the two -state solution,” said Starmer.
“With this now threatened solution, it’s time to act.”
He added: “So, today, as part of this process towards peace, I can confirm that the United Kingdom will recognize the state of Palestine by the United Nations General Assembly in September, unless the Israeli government takes substantial measures to end the appalling situation in Gaza.”
British Foreign Minister David Lammy is witnessing a United Nations Conference in New York led by France and Saudi Arabia to promote the two -state solution, echoed the feeling.
Lammy said that it was “with the hand of history on our shoulders” that London planned to recognize the Palestinian state, given the British central role in the creation of Israel thanks to the Balfur Declaration of 1917.
Why now?
Answering questions about the time of this decision, Starmer quoted the “intolerable” conditions in Gaza and an increasing alarm on the prospects for the weakening of a two -state solution.
He said he wanted to make sure that the decision “plays a role in changing the conditions on the ground, ensuring that help between”.
“It is done now because I am particularly concerned about the very idea of a reduced two-state solution, and it feels further today that it has done it for many years,” he said.
The announcement came after an emergency firm meeting, highlighting the growing political pressure from his Labor Party.
The British Prime Minister faced public pressure on the devastating war of Israel against Gaza, which experts and rights organizations have nicknamed an act of genocide.
Israel has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians since its launch of its offensive on October 7, 2023. Israel said that its military assault was in response to the attacks led by Hamas who made at least 1,139 people who died in Israel, but the rights groups criticized its earthly tactics burned in Gaza.
Starmer stressed that the recognition of Palestine has long been part of the Labor Party policy and constitutes a central pillar of a broader peace initiative than the government has developed over time.
“As our electoral manifesto said, the Palestinian state is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people. It is not in the donation of a neighbor and is also essential to the long -term security of Israel,” said a statement published by the Prime Minister’s office.
“We are committed to recognizing a Palestinian state as a contribution to a renewed peace process which results in a two -state solution, with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.”
What specific Starmer conditions have set themselves to recognize Palestine?
Starmer presented a series of conditions which he declared that Israel should fulfill if he wishes the United Kingdom to not recognize the Palestinian state, which includes:
- Take substantial measures to end the appalling situation in Gaza
- Accept a cease-fire
- Engage yourself in long-term lasting peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution
- Allow the UN to restart the help offer
- Clearly explain that there will be no annexes in the West Bank.
The Prime Minister also reiterated the requests that remain in place for Hamas, which are:
- Free all the captives
- Register for a ceasefire
- Disarm
- Recognize that they will not play any role in the government of Gaza.
The British government will assess the extent to the two parties, Israel and Hamas, have fulfilled its conditions before making an appeal in September.
What is the recognition of Palestine as a state means and what other countries have done it?
Currently, the state of Palestine is recognized as a sovereign nation by 147 of the 193 UN member states, around 75% of the international community.
Three other European countries, Spain, Ireland and Norway, officially recognized Palestine last year.
France will recognize a Palestinian state during Unga in September.
According to experts, recognition can have a limited practical effect, but diplomatically, it could be important, potentially pressing the United States, one of the main donors of Israel, to reconsider its position.
“Even if it is not a great step in the humanitarian sense – if you are starving in Gaza, these words of diplomats and politicians may not matter – but diplomatically, is massive. And what really struck me is the specificity of starmer requests,” said William Lawrence, a former American diplomat, told Tel Aviv Tribune.
“And if the whole world, everyone turns to Trump with this kind of specific outline and common cause, it will have an effect on Trump. All this, even if it does not solve the problem instantly. Everyone moves in the right direction now, both in terms of Israel pressures and in terms of United States pressure,” added Lawrence.
Does the United Kingdom really prepare to recognize Palestine?
According to Milena Veselinovic from Tel Aviv Tribune, Starmer is currently subject to significant pressure.
“He suffers a lot of pressure, at the national level, here of the public, as well as his own deputies to do this question a little; people have been moved by these images of people who have been died in recent days,” said Veselinovic during his London reports.
Last week, 221 deputies of nine political parties signed a letter addressed to Starmer and to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, David Lammy, urging them to recognize a Palestinian state. This number has since been 255.
221 deputies, of 9 parties, sent a joint letter to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs urging them to recognize Palestine as a state now pic.twitter.com/b2hbx2xcgr
– Sarah Champion (@sarahchampionmp) July 25, 2025
Veselinovic added that the United Kingdom does not promise to recognize a Palestinian state.
“(It is not) as when the French president Macron said he would, he will recognize the state of Palestine in September, it is a way of pressure that the British government hopes to apply to the Israeli government to try to improve the conditions on the ground in Gaza,” she added.
Will he have a practical effect on the situation in Gaza?
Lammy, the British Foreign Minister, said that this decision “would affect the situation on the ground” and would lead to a cease-fire in Gaza.
The world had seen “the most horrible scenes” in Gaza and the time had come to “reduce the suffering of the Palestinian people,” he told the UN.
Skepticism, however, remains high, because some people question the sincerity behind recent announcements.
Al Jazera’s superior political analyst Bishara said that leaders, including Starmer and Macron, continue to support Israel in his war against Gaza.
“We must see certain measures taken apart from a simple high rhetoric, because they are unable to speak of peace and justice when they are accomplices in genocide,” he said.
Bishara also criticized the lack of details of the two leaders when they announced their intention to recognize a Palestinian state.
“Is it a state in 10% of the West Bank?” Or is it a state in all the territories occupied in 1967 – including East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza – as contiguous sovereign territories? ” He added.
How did Israel replied?
“Starmer rewards the monstrous terrorism of Hamas and punishes its victims,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on X.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry also said that the UK’s move “was in order to make an efforts to make a cease-fire in Gaza and a framework for the release of the hostages”, adding that Starmer’s announcement followed “the French movement and internal political pressures”.
France has become the first member of the G7 to announce its intention to recognize a Palestinian State, President Macron describing the decision in the “historic commitment of the country towards a just and lasting peace in the Middle East”.
Israel rejects the Declaration of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
The change in the position of the British government at that time, following the French move and internal political pressures, constitutes a reward for Hamas and affects efforts to make a cease-fire in Gaza and … pic.twitter.com/cg2tuecyre
– Ministry of Foreign Affairs Israel (@israelmfa) July 29, 2025
