UK joins Australia, Canada in recognizing Palestine as a state

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed on Sunday that the U.K. is formally recognizing a Palestinian state despite vociferous opposition from the U.S. and Israel.

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His announcement follows those from Canada and Australia, in what appears to be a coordinated initiative from the Commonwealth nations.

Starmer, who has faced pressure to take a harder line on Israel within his own governing Labour Party, said the move is intended “to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis” but that it wasn’t a reward for Hamas, which he stressed will have no role in any future governance of the Palestinian people.

“We must channel our efforts, united together in hope, behind the peaceful future that we want to see: the release of the hostages, an end to the violence, an end to the suffering and a shift back towards a two-state solution as the best hope for peace and security for all sides,” he said.