LONDON, September 22, 2025 – The United Kingdom has formally recognized Palestine as a state, a landmark decision announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer on September 21, 2025, aligning with similar moves by Canada, Australia, and Portugal ahead of the UN General Assembly. The move, hailed by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, aims to revive hopes for a two-state solution amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu swiftly condemned the decision, labeling it a “reward for terrorism” in response to the devastating Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, which claimed 1,200 lives and triggered the ongoing Gaza conflict.
The recognition comes as a UN commission report, released on September 16, 2025, found “reasonable grounds” to conclude that Israel has committed genocidal acts in Gaza since the war began in 2023—a claim Israel’s foreign ministry dismissed as “distorted and false,” accusing the report of relying on Hamas propaganda.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen, with the Hamas-run health ministry reporting over 65,000 deaths since the conflict escalated. Mayor Khan, in a statement on Sunday, called for an immediate ceasefire and the release of hostages held in “appalling conditions,” echoing global calls to address the crisis. [Ref web ID: Mayor of London Sadiq Khan describes Gaza situation as genocide.
This diplomatic shift follows months of pressure from figures like Khan, who in July 2025 urged Starmer to recognize Palestine to tackle the dire situation in Gaza, where famine and violence have displaced nearly all of its 2.3 million residents.