Following France, the UK, Canada, and Malta Announce Plans to Recognize Palestine as a State at the September UN General Assembly
The United Kingdom, Canada, and Malta have joined France in declaring their intention to support the recognition of Palestine as a state during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September.
During the High-Level Meeting on the Two-State Solution for Israel and Palestine, held from July 28 to 30 at the UN Headquarters in New York, a total of 15 countries—including France, Canada, Malta, Luxembourg, Australia, and New Zealand—signed a statement supporting the recognition of Palestinian statehood.
The momentum for recognizing Palestine has grown since July 24, when French President Emmanuel Macron became the first G7 leader to make an official declaration on the matter. On July 28, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that Britain would recognize Palestine as a state by September if Israel fails to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza. Shortly after, Malta, a Commonwealth member state, expressed its intention to vote for recognition at the UN General Assembly, with Canada quickly following suit. The British newspaper The Guardian noted that other Commonwealth nations, such as New Zealand and Australia, may also take similar steps in the coming months.
As of March 2025, 147 out of the 193 UN member states have recognized Palestine as an independent state. Among the G20 nations, 10 countries—including China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia—have recognized Palestine, while nine countries, including the United States, Japan, and South Korea, have yet to do so.
