Global Support Grows for Palestinian Statehood
Global Support for Palestinian Statehood Gains Momentum Amid Gaza War
The ongoing Israel-Hamas war, which began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, has reignited international calls for the creation of an independent Palestinian state. The move marks a significant break from the long-standing view that Palestinian statehood should only come through direct peace negotiations with Israel.
According to AFP, at least 145 of the 193 United Nations member states now recognise — or have announced plans to recognise — a Palestinian state. These include major nations such as France, Canada, and Britain.
A Long Road to Recognition
The Palestinian push for statehood dates back decades. On November 15, 1988, during the first intifada, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat proclaimed an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. The declaration was made in Algiers at a meeting of the Palestinian National Council in exile, which endorsed a two-state solution. Algeria was the first to officially recognise the state, and dozens of other countries quickly followed, including much of the Arab world, India, Turkey, most of Africa, and several European nations.
Another wave of recognition came in late 2010 and early 2011, when South American nations such as Argentina, Brazil, and Chile endorsed Palestinian statehood. This followed Israel’s decision to resume Jewish settlement construction in the occupied West Bank.
Steps at the United Nations
In 2011, Palestinians sought full UN membership, but the bid failed. However, UNESCO granted them full membership in October 2011, a decision opposed by Israel and the United States. In November 2012, the UN General Assembly upgraded Palestine’s status to “non-member observer state,” allowing the Palestinian flag to be raised at UN headquarters in New York for the first time. By 2015, the International Criminal Court had also accepted Palestine as a state party.
Fresh Diplomatic Push in 2024–2025
The latest surge in recognition comes amid Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. In 2024, four Caribbean nations — Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and the Bahamas — as well as Armenia, formally recognised Palestine. Four European countries — Norway, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia — also joined the list, marking the first such recognition within the EU since Sweden in 2014.
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Monday that his country will back Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly. France has said it will recognise Palestine in September, while Britain has pledged to do so unless Israel agrees to a Gaza ceasefire. Canada also plans recognition in September — a major policy shift rejected by Israel.
Other countries, including Malta, Finland, and Portugal, have signalled they may follow suit. However, not all nations support the move; Hungary and the Czech Republic remain opposed, despite earlier recognitions from other Eastern Bloc states in 1988.
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