September 21, 2025 | 09:53 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The United Kingdom and Canada officially recognized the State of Palestine on Sunday, September 21, 2025, just hours after Australia made a similar move and ahead of the upcoming UN General Assembly. This coordinated action signifies a renewed international push to advance a two-state solution.
"In the face of the growing horror in the Middle East, we are acting to keep alive the possibility of the peace and the two-state solution," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a video statement, as reported by Anadolu. He added that a two-state solution entails a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state, concluding, "At the moment, we have neither."
Prior to the formal announcement, British Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy told the BBC that "now is the time to stand up for a two-state solution."
Separately, Canada also officially recognized the State of Palestine to preserve the prospect of a two-state solution, according to a statement from Prime Minister Mark Carney's office released Sunday morning local time.
The Prime Minister's Office stated, as reported by CBC, that "over many decades, Canada's commitment to [a two-state solution] was premised on the expectation that this outcome would eventually be achieved as part of a negotiated settlement."
The statement further asserted that "the current Israeli government is working methodically to prevent the prospect of a Palestinian state from ever being established.... It is now the avowed policy of the current Israeli government that 'there will be no Palestinian state."
Canada's Foreign Affairs Department chief added that Canada is offering its partnership in "building the promise of a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel."
The announcement comes as Prime Minister Carney prepares to meet with world leaders in New York during the UN General Assembly.
Carney first announced the potential recognition in July, stating that the move was contingent on the Palestinian Authority, which controls parts of the West Bank, fulfilling certain commitments. Those commitments include governance reforms, democratic elections in 2026 in which Hamas cannot participate, and the demilitarization of the Palestinian state.
The UK and Canada's announcements follow similar plans from other European nations. France, Luxembourg, and Malta had previously announced their intention to recognize Palestine at the UN General Assembly. Israel's government had preemptively called the UK's move "absurd" ahead of its official announcement.
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