Recognising Palestine As A State: What It Means And What It Doesn’t Change | Explained

On Sunday, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia became the first major Western countries to formally recognise the State of Palestine. Portugal followed later the same day. France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Malta have also signalled that they intend to do the same. Their announcements came on the eve of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), which opens today with a high-level international conference on the Question of Palestine, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia. The conference aims to reaffirm support for the two-state solution and rally international backing for its implementation.

This wave of recognition represents a significant departure from the long-standing Western position that Palestinian statehood should emerge only as

the outcome of direct negotiations with Israel. That framework began losing momentum after the failure of US-brokered peace talks in 2014. It has now been set aside by several governments, prompted by Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza, growing political and public pressure in Europe, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s repeated statements rejecting the creation of a Palestinian state.

The immediate backdrop includes Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says has killed more than 65,000 people. A UN Commission of Inquiry has accused Israel of genocide in Gaza, a charge that Israel and key allies, including the US, have strongly denied. At the same time, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has openly declared that “there will be no Palestinian state,” cementing the position of the most far-right government in Israel’s history. For many of the recognising countries, the move is seen as both a political signal and a step towards reviving stalled diplomacy.

What Does It Mean To ‘Recognise’ A State?

Recognition is a legal and diplomatic act. It means that a country formally affirms the existence of another as a sovereign state and commits to treating it as such. It involves acknowledging rights and responsibilities under international law, reviewing bilateral agreements, and often upgrading diplomatic missions to embassy-level representation.

In the UK’s case, the shift has already begun to take administrative effect. The government now uses the term “Palestine”, rather than “Occupied Palestinian Territories”, across all official platforms and maps. The Palestinian delegation in London, which has operated as a diplomatic mission, is expected to gain full embassy status.

Recognition also changes how Palestine is treated in diplomatic negotiations. Rather than being regarded as a political entity or authority under occupation, it is seen, in the eyes of the recognising country, as a state actor with equal standing. However, this shift is symbolic and does not change Palestine’s legal standing in bodies such as the United Nations or the International Criminal Court.

Where Does Palestinian Statehood Stand Today?

The Palestine Liberation Organisation declared an independent Palestinian state in 1988. A large number of countries from the Global South recognised it in the years that followed. As of early 2025, 147 out of 193 UN member states had recognised Palestine. That figure rose above 150 after the recent announcements by Portugal, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. France is expected to follow.

Despite widespread bilateral recognition, Palestine is not a full member of the United Nations. It holds observer status, which allows it to participate in debates and sign certain international treaties, but it does not have voting rights. To become a full UN member, it must be recommended by the Security Council and then approved by a two-thirds majority in the General Assembly. The US has consistently blocked such attempts using its veto power.

On the ground, governance is fragmented. The Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, exercises limited administrative control in parts of the West Bank under arrangements reached through earlier agreements with Israel. It issues identity documents and runs education and health services but operates under heavy restrictions, depends on international funding, and coordinates security with Israel.

In Gaza, control lies with the Hamas group, which took over from the PA in 2007 following an internal conflict. While the PA still funds parts of Gaza’s bureaucracy, it does not exercise authority there. Israel maintains control over Gaza’s border crossings, along with airspace and external trade. Entry into both the West Bank and Gaza is tightly regulated. There are no operational Palestinian airports, and diplomatic access to Palestinian areas is subject to Israeli approval.

No country currently maintains an embassy in Ramallah or Gaza. However, about 40 states, including China, Russia, Canada, and several European and Arab countries, operate consular or representative offices in Ramallah or East Jerusalem.

What Doesn’t Change With Recognition?

Recognition of Palestine by individual countries does not resolve the political and territorial issues at the heart of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. It does not change Palestine’s status at the UN, where full membership still depends on Security Council approval. It also does not affect Israeli military or administrative control over the West Bank and Gaza’s borders, airspace, and movement of people and goods.

The long-standing vision of a two-state solution, involving an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital, remains politically contested. Israel opposes a return to the 1967 borders and considers Jerusalem its indivisible capital. The Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state. The status of Jerusalem continues to be one of the most contentious unresolved issues.

Israeli governments have maintained that any future Palestinian state must be demilitarised and that Israel must retain security control over key areas to prevent further attacks. In contrast, Palestinian officials argue that meaningful statehood cannot exist without sovereignty over territory, borders and internal governance.

The number and expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem remain another major roadblock. More than 600,000 Israeli settlers live in these areas today. While most countries view the settlements as illegal under international law, Israel disputes this interpretation, citing historical, religious, and security grounds. It continues to expand them, with Israeli courts and government policy supporting their legal status.

Internally, the Palestinian political split between the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority and Hamas in Gaza remains unresolved. This division complicates efforts to form a unified negotiating position and has prompted countries like France to link recognition to PA-led reforms and improved governance, particularly if the PA is to play a role in post-war administration of Gaza.

US And Israel’s Response

Israel has denounced the recognitions as a reward for terrorism. Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly said that a Palestinian state would not be allowed to exist and has warned that unilateral recognition may trigger annexation of parts of the West Bank. The Israeli government has also argued that the October 7 Hamas attacks, in which around 1,200 people in Israel were killed, disqualify any steps that could be seen as “rewarding” Palestinian leadership.

The US remains firmly opposed to unilateral recognition. It continues to argue that a Palestinian state should emerge only through direct negotiations with Israel. In response to the recent diplomatic push, Washington has imposed sanctions on Palestinian officials and denied visas to prevent their participation at the UN General Assembly. A US veto is still likely to block any Security Council-backed recognition.

So What Will Recognition Actually Achieve?

Recognition by Western powers changes the diplomatic and political framing of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. It places Palestine on a firmer footing in legal and multilateral forums, compels recognising countries to reevaluate aspects of their Israel policy, and signals that continued occupation may carry diplomatic costs.

However, recognition alone does not end the war in Gaza, remove Israeli forces, or create a functioning Palestinian state. It does not eliminate the need for political reconciliation between Hamas and the PA, nor does it compel Israel or the US to engage in final-status talks.

What it does do, particularly when coordinated among major powers, is redefine the question. Instead of asking whether Palestine should be a state, the conversation shifts to what actions must follow now that it has been recognised as one.