Recognition brings Palestinians closer to sovereignty and independence, says Palestinian Foreign Minister Warsen Aghabekian Shahin. Photo: Getty Images
The recognition of Palestine as a state by three countries on different continents has sparked a wave of outrage from the US and Israel. The decision was a response to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and a signal of deep disappointment with the actions of the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Forbes Ukraine has collected the reactions of Reuters, FT and WSJ to the changes in the Middle East
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Britain, Australia and Canada officially recognized Palestine as a state on September 21. It was the biggest diplomatic shift in foreign policy by Western governments in recent years and a signal of growing frustration with Israel's actions amid the 23-month war in Gaza, the WSJ reports. “We are acting to keep the possibility of peace alive,” said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
For London, the decision had a particularly symbolic meaning, as Britain played a key role in the creation of the state of Israel after World War II. Under pressure from the Labour Party, Starmer outlined an action plan for Palestine back in July 2025 after French President Emmanuel Macron signaled his readiness to act in a similar direction. For Australia, for example, the move was part of a coordinated international effort to revive the prospects for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
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The decisions by Britain, Australia and Canada mean they will join France and several other countries in formally recognising Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly this week, in the biggest wave of recognitions in more than a decade, the FT notes. Palestinian statehood is currently recognised by around 150 UN member states, but until recently no G7 country had taken such a step.
The Palestinian side welcomed the decision. Recognition brings Palestinians closer to sovereignty and independence, says Warsen Aghabekian-Shahin, the Palestinian National Authority's foreign minister. She says it may not end the war tomorrow, but it is a step forward that must be built on and strengthened.
Palestinians carry humanitarian aid packages, September 21, 2025. Photo by Getty Images
Sharp reaction from Israel and the US
Israel took the decision as a blow. Representatives of the Israeli Foreign Ministry called it “a recognition for the jihadist Hamas.” “Israel will not accept any text that is detached from reality and imaginary, which tries to force it to agree to unsecured borders,” the message on the official account of the Israeli Foreign Ministry in X.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took an even tougher stance, the WSJ reports. “I have a clear message: This will not happen. There will be no Palestinian state west of the Jordan River,” he said, adding that he was proud that Israel had doubled the number of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. “We will continue on this path.”
In the United States, the allies' move was met with criticism. US President Donald Trump had previously warned that such decisions could affect trade negotiations. Washington insists that recognizing Palestinian statehood without the release of hostages held by Hamas since October 2023 is recognition of terrorism. British Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch echoed this view, stressing that Israel's allies risk legitimizing the militants.
Starmer rejected the accusations. He said Hamas is a terrorist organization and should have no role in the future governance of Palestine. The British government is also preparing a new package of sanctions against the group. Macron took a similar position, stressing in an interview with CBS: “The goal of Hamas is not to create a Palestinian state. Their goal is to destroy Israel.”
Donald Trump will meet with Benjamin Netanyahu again this week, discussing the future of Israel amid a wave of international recognition of Palestine. Photo: Getty Images
General Assembly Decision and Israeli Pressure
Attention is focused on the week of the UN General Assembly, where France, Belgium and a number of other countries are preparing to announce their recognition of Palestinian statehood. The triple declaration by London, Ottawa and Canberra will kick off a week that could be a turning point in international relations between Israel and the world's leading powers, the WSJ writes.
On September 12, the UN General Assembly approved a resolution in support of the so-called
Palestinian families are forced to leave the Nasr neighborhood due to ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, September 21, 2025. Photo by Getty Images
“This is a diplomatic and political defeat for Israel, at least in the way the current government is formulating policy,” Yuval Shani, a law professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, told the WSJ. He added that Israel’s deepening isolation will make life more difficult for Israelis in the long run.
The situation on the ground is only getting worse. Israel continues its offensive in Gaza, now controlling about 75% of the enclave. More than 65,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza, according to Palestinian health authorities. Netanyahu's government has also accelerated the expansion of settlement construction, including
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