Three-quarters of UN members support Palestinian statehood, with growing diplomatic momentum in recent months. Australia became the latest nation to announce it will recognise Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September.
The ongoing Israel-Hamas war, which began after the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, has intensified calls for Palestinian statehood. Many countries are moving away from the long-standing view that recognition should only come through direct negotiations with Israel.
According to recent tallies, at least 145 of the UN’s 193 member states have recognised or intend to recognise Palestine. This group includes France, Canada, and Britain, all of which plan formal recognition in the coming months.
Palestinian statehood efforts date back decades. In November 1988, during the first intifada, Yasser Arafat proclaimed an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. Algeria was the first to recognise it, quickly followed by most Arab nations, India, Turkey, much of Africa, and several European countries.
A second wave of recognitions emerged in 2010–2011, when South American nations such as Argentina, Brazil, and Chile endorsed Palestinian claims. This came after Israel lifted a temporary freeze on settlement construction in the occupied West Bank.
In 2011, the Palestinian bid for full UN membership failed, but UNESCO accepted Palestine as a full member. In 2012, the UN General Assembly upgraded Palestine’s status to “non-member observer state,” and by 2015, the International Criminal Court accepted it as a state party.
Recent developments in Gaza have sparked a new wave of support. In 2024, several Caribbean and European nations, including Norway, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia, recognised Palestine. The latest announcements from Australia, France, Britain, and Canada mark a significant policy shift.
Some countries, including Hungary and the Czech Republic, still withhold recognition. Others, such as Malta, Finland, and Portugal, have suggested they may follow in the near future.
To dive deeper into the full report and its implications, read the detailed coverage on Israel Kills Al Jazeera Journalist, Claims Hamas Ties.
