French President Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron formally recognised a Palestinian State at the UN General Assembly in New York on September 22, 2025. He made an announcement in this regard a couple of weeks ago. Since then, several Western countries have openly declared that they would do the same, ignoring warnings from Israel and its ally, the US. Now, Australia, Britain and Canada – the three major Western powers – have declared that they would recognise Palestine as an independent and sovereign state. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Rodney Starmer and their Canadian counterpart Mark Joseph Carney issued separate statements within moments of each other on September 21, calling for a Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

As expected, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin ‘Bibi’ Netanyahu has accused Australia, Britain and Canada of “rewarding terror” in the wake of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, stressing: “There will be no Palestinian State. The response to the latest attempt to force upon us a terror state in the heart of our land will be given after my return from the US.” He added: “I have a clear message to those leaders who are recognising a Palestinian State after the horrendous October 7 massacre: You are rewarding terror with an enormous prize. And I have another message for you: It’s not going to happen. There will be no Palestinian State to the west of the Jordan River.“

Of the current 193 member-states of the UN, more than 150 have already recognised Palestine as an independent and sovereign state. It may be noted that Spain, Ireland and Norway recognised Palestine as a state on May 28, 2024. Spain and Ireland, which have long been backing the Two-State Solution, have also established full-fledged diplomatic ties with Palestine. Israel has already been found guilty by the International Criminal Court of committing genocide in the pretext of eliminating Hamas terrorists in Gaza. According to political analysts, Tel Aviv would be under tremendous diplomatic pressure if Palestine receives global recognition. They believe that the Zionist Regime might have to give up much of the Palestinian territory (including Gaza and the West Bank) it has occupied over the past few decades.

The Two-State Solution proposes Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian State – living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognised borders – on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital. Tel Aviv has rejected this proposal from the very beginning, claiming that the entire territory belongs to Israel. The Israelis also believe that recognising Palestine as an Independent State cannot be a prerequisite for any solution. Although the Palestinian Authority (PA), formed as part of a peace agreement in the 1990s, supports the Two-State Solution theory, Hamas does not.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Starmer stressed: “So today, to revive the hope of peace and a Two-State Solution, I state clearly as Prime Minister of this great country that the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine. We recognised the State of Israel more than 75 years ago, as a homeland for the Jewish people. Today, we join over 150 countries who recognise a Palestinian State also, a pledge to the Palestinian and Israeli people that there can be a better future.” He described his government’s move as a “principled and necessary step” to maintain global consensus on a Two-State Solution. The British Prime Minister clarified that the decision was not intended to determine the international borders and it should be determined through negotiations between Israel and Palestine.

In Canberra, Prime Minister Albanese issued a statement, mentioning: “Australia recognises the legitimate and long held aspirations of the people of Palestine to a state of their own. Today’s act of recognition reflects Australia’s longstanding commitment to a Two-State Solution, which has always been the only path to enduring peace and security for the Israeli and the Palestinian peoples.” Speaking at an event in Ottawa, Canadian Prime Minister Carney stated: “While Canada is under no illusions that this recognition is a panacea, this recognition is firmly aligned with the principles of self-determination and fundamental Human Rights reflected in the UN Charter, and the consistent policy of Canada for generations.“

These announcements have also put the US under immense pressure on the international stage. As a Palestinian State gets a high-profile boost, some Republican senators have warned other US allies of punitive measures over recognition of Palestinian State by sending a strongly-worded letter to their Heads (of the State). They have also sent a copy of that letter to President Donald John Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “This is a reckless policy that undermines prospects for peace. It sets the dangerous precedent that violence, not diplomacy, is the most expedient means for terrorist groups, like Hamas, to achieve their political aims,” reads the letter.

A couple of days ago, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) threatened to launch a major attack on Gaza City, the final citadel of the Palestinian Hamas Movement. Hamas, too, responded by releasing a farewell photo of all the 48 Israeli hostages still in its custody. Interestingly, the Palestinian outfit named everyone seen in that propaganda image Ron Arad, an Israeli Air Force navigator who has been classified as missing since 1988. The image’s text reads: “Because of (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu’s refusal, and (IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal) Zamir’s capitulation, a parting image as the military operation in Gaza City begins.”

Hamas has further accused Prime Minister Netanyahu of refusing to reach a ceasefire and to sign a hostage release deal, apart from charging that Zamir is carrying out the order to conquer Gaza City, in spite of his reported opposition to the plan. On the other hand, family members of those hostages have expressed fear that their loved ones would share the fate of Arad without a deal for their release.

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das