Four western countries recognize Palestine state

Britain, Australia, Canada and Portugal recognized the State of Palestine on Sunday, a historic shift in decades of Western foreign policy that drew swift anger from Israel and a rebuke from the United States.

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Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip welcomed the recognition as a victory, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed in response that a Palestinian state would never exist.

The United States also criticized the moves as “performative” and said it was focused on finding a diplomatic solution to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Other countries, including France, are also due to recognize a Palestinian state during key talks at the annual UN General Assembly opening on Monday in New York.

Israel has come under huge international pressure over its war in Gaza, which has sparked a dire humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory.