The Foreign Desk Explainer 486: Why recognise Palestine now?
Sep 24, 2025
Ten countries, including major players like the UK and Canada, recently recognized Palestine, raising questions about the timing. Andrew Mueller explores unexpected shifts in diplomacy post-October 7 and how domestic politics played a crucial role in these decisions. Factors such as voter pressure and electoral consequences influenced governments' motivations. Despite the symbolic nature of these recognitions, the real challenge lies in ensuring meaningful steps towards lasting peace and cooperation.
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Late Western Recognitions
- Most of the world had already recognised Palestine before October 2023, with 146 UN members doing so prior to the Hamas attack.
- The recent recognitions are mostly late moves from Western-aligned holdouts now shifting position.
Who Just Recognised Palestine
- Around this UN General Assembly, ten countries publicly declared recognition of Palestine, including the UK, France and Canada.
- More nations have recognised Palestine since October and several others signal they may follow soon.
Conditional And Hesitant Moves
- Some countries say they'll recognise Palestine only if specific conditions, like hostage releases, are met.
- Others stop short but publicly endorse a two-state solution without immediate recognition.