The United Kingdom has formally recognised the state of Palestine, in what Keir Starmer the prime minister described as a decisive step to keep alive the prospect of peace in the Middle East.
In a televised address on Sunday, Starmer said the move was not about rewarding Hamas but about safeguarding the vision of two states — Israel and Palestine — living side by side in peace and security. Britain now joins more than 150 countries that have already extended recognition.
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“Today, to revive the hope of peace and a two-state solution, I state clearly as prime minister of this great country that the United Kingdom formally recognises the state of Palestine,” Starmer declared.
Starmer framed the decision against the backdrop of worsening violence in Gaza and the West Bank, coupled with the lingering trauma of the 7 October 2023 attacks by Hamas. He stressed that ordinary Israelis and Palestinians deserve the chance to rebuild their lives free from “violence and suffering”.
“The death and destruction horrifies all of us. It must end,” he said, condemning Hamas as a “brutal terror organisation” while also criticising Israel’s “relentless bombardment” of Gaza and the humanitarian crisis it has created.
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Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, according to international reports, while thousands more have died attempting to collect basic supplies such as food and water. Starmer said the UK had already evacuated sick and injured children from Gaza for treatment by the NHS, but added that “nowhere near enough aid is getting through”.
He called on Israel to lift restrictions on humanitarian access, describing the current blockade as “cruel tactics” that must end immediately.
Anticipating criticism that recognition could be seen as legitimising Hamas, the prime minister was unequivocal: “A call for a genuine two-state solution is the exact opposite of their hateful vision.”
He insisted that Hamas would have “no future, no role in government, no role in security” under any peace settlement. Britain has already proscribed Hamas as a terrorist organisation, and Starmer revealed plans to impose additional sanctions on its senior figures.
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Starmer said the recognition was part of a broader framework being developed with regional and international partners to restore faith in negotiations. He outlined a path from a ceasefire in Gaza to meaningful talks, underpinned by reform of the Palestinian Authority.
“With the actions of Hamas, the Israeli government escalating a conflict, and settlement building being accelerated in the West Bank, the hope of a two-state solution is fading,” he said. “But we cannot let that light go out.”
The decision was also framed as a matter of historic balance. “We recognised the state of Israel more than 75 years ago, as a homeland for the Jewish people,” Starmer said. “Today, we join over 150 countries who recognise a Palestinian state also, a pledge to the Palestinian and Israeli people that there can be a better future.”
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Acknowledging the deep divisions the conflict has stirred within Britain, Starmer urged unity. “Some have used it to stoke hatred and fear, but that solves nothing. Not only must we reject hate, we must redouble our efforts to combat hatred in all its forms,” he said.
