In a video statement on X, Sir Keir said the move was intended “to keep alive the possibility of peace and a two-state solution” amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The UK joins countries including Australia, Canada, and Portugal in formally recognising Palestine, with France expected to follow.
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from the Israeli government, families of hostages held in Gaza, and some Conservative politicians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the move, saying a Palestinian state “will not happen” and describing it as “a huge reward to terrorism.”
Sir Keir emphasised that the recognition “is not a reward for Hamas,” adding that the group would have “no future, no role in government, no role in security” under the two-state framework.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the announcement, while the UK Foreign Office confirmed recognition over provisional borders based on 1967 lines, with land swaps to be finalised through future negotiations.
The move comes amid heightened violence in Gaza, where Israeli military operations have displaced hundreds of thousands and resulted in tens of thousands of casualties. Humanitarian concerns and the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank were cited by UK ministers as factors influencing the recognition decision.
Domestic reactions have been divided. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described the decision as “absolutely disastrous,” while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called it “long overdue.” Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel accused the prime minister of “capitulating to the hard-left factions of his party.”
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy acknowledged that recognition would not immediately change conditions on the ground but said it was “the time to stand up for a two-state solution.” He stressed that Hamas is not representative of the Palestinian people.
Hamas welcomed the recognition as a step affirming the rights of Palestinians but urged accompanying practical measures to end the conflict.
Sir Keir, who has repeatedly stated that Hamas will have no role in governance, confirmed that the UK has proscribed and sanctioned the group and intends to extend further sanctions in the coming weeks.
