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BBC Analysis: What does recognizing Palestine mean and why is the US against it?

2025-09-21 16:03:11Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
BBC Analysis: What does recognizing Palestine mean and why is the US against it?
Palestinian flag at a pro-Gaza protest in London

The United Kingdom, Canada and Australia have officially recognized the state of Palestine, while France and several other Western countries are expected to do so on Monday, in a move that has sparked strong reactions from Israel and open opposition from the United States.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called this decision a "reward for Hamas' monstrous terrorism," while the US has stated that recognizing Palestine would strengthen Hamas's positions and make it difficult to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.

What does recognizing Palestine as a state mean?

Palestine is a state that exists in a partial way – with diplomatic representation in many countries and participation in international events, including the Olympic Games – but without internationally recognized borders, no designated capital, and no army. The Palestinian Authority, created after the Oslo Accords in the 1990s, does not have full control over the territory or population. The Gaza Strip, currently at war, remains under a blockade and military control by Israel.

Because of this ambiguous situation, recognizing Palestine is largely a symbolic act, more political and moral than practical. But the symbolism is powerful. In a speech to the UN this July, former British Foreign Secretary David Lammy stressed that Britain has a “special responsibility” for the two-state solution, citing the 1917 Balfour Declaration, in which Britain expressed support for the creation of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, but on the condition that this did not harm the rights of non-Jewish communities in that territory.

Which countries have recognized Palestine?

About 75% of the 193 member states of the United Nations have already recognized Palestine as a state. At the UN, Palestine has the status of “permanent observer state,” which gives it the right to participate in the organization’s work, but not the right to vote. With the planned recognition by the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Malta, Australia and Canada, four of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council will officially support the state of Palestine. China and Russia have done so since 1988. The United States will remain the only permanent member that does not recognize it.

Why is this happening now?

For years, British governments have stressed that recognizing Palestine should happen as part of a peace process, in coordination with allies and “at the moment of greatest impact.” But the worsening situation in Gaza, mass starvation and disillusionment with Western public opinion have led to a change in approach. Some countries are imposing conditions on recognition. Canada, for example, is demanding that the Palestinian Authority commit to reforms, hold elections in 2026 and demilitarize the future state.

The United Kingdom, on the other hand, had said it would recognize Palestine during the UN session unless Israel took clear steps toward stopping the war in Gaza, suspending annexations in the West Bank, and restarting a peace process for a two-state solution. But these steps by Israel seem unlikely, making recognition inevitable.

The US remains against

The United States has been vocal in its opposition to recognizing the state of Palestine, arguing that it would strengthen Hamas and provoke a harsh response from Israel, including further annexation of Palestinian territories. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a joint press conference with Netanyahu on September 15, declared that “international recognition of Palestine is a reward for terrorism,” referring to the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas. According to Rubio, the US has warned allies that recognition would complicate efforts for a ceasefire and peace in the region.


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