UK, Canada and Australia formally recognise the State of Palestine
The United Kingdom, Canada and Australia formally recognised the State of Palestine on 21 September 2025 in coordinated statements, becoming the first G7 members to do so; Portugal followed the same day.
Summary
The United Kingdom, Canada and Australia formally recognised the State of Palestine on 21 September 2025 in separate but coordinated statements, ahead of a UN conference on the two-state solution co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia. The UK and Canada became the first G7 members to take the step, and Portugal also announced recognition the same day. The UK Foreign Office said it recognises Palestinian statehood over provisional borders based on the 1967 lines with equal land swaps, to be finalised in future negotiations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the move, saying a Palestinian state "will not happen". About three-quarters of the UN's 193 member states now recognise a Palestinian state.
Key facts
- Date
- 21 Sep 2025
- Countries
- UK, Canada, Australia; Portugal the same day
- Significance
- First G7 members to recognise Palestine
- UK basis
- Provisional borders on 1967 lines with equal land swaps
- Context
- Ahead of UN two-state conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia
- Israel's response
- Netanyahu: a Palestinian state "will not happen"
Practice MCQs 4 questions
Which of the following groups of countries formally recognised the State of Palestine on 21 September 2025 in coordinated statements?
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Correct answer: A — UK, Canada and Australia
The UK, Canada and Australia announced formal recognition of the State of Palestine on 21 September 2025 in coordinated statements.
The UN conference on the two-state solution, ahead of which the UK, Canada and Australia recognised Palestine in September 2025, was co-chaired by:
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Correct answer: C — France and Saudi Arabia
The conference was co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia.
Consider the following statements about the recognitions of Palestine on 21 September 2025: 1. The UK recognised Palestinian statehood over provisional borders based on the 1967 lines with equal land swaps. 2. Portugal also announced recognition on the same day. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: B — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct: the UK Foreign Office described recognition over provisional borders based on 1967 lines with equal land swaps, and Portugal announced recognition the same day.
Consider the following statements about the recognition of Palestine on 21 September 2025: 1. The UK and Canada became the first G7 members to recognise the State of Palestine. 2. The US State Department welcomed the recognitions as a step towards peace. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: D — 1 only
Only statement 1 is correct: the UK and Canada were the first G7 members to take the step, while a US State Department spokesperson dismissed the move as "performative".