The United Kingdom and Portugal are poised to officially recognize the State of Palestine on Sunday, September 21, 2025, just ahead of a pivotal week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The British government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, announced in July that the UK would recognize Palestine if Israel did not take “substantive steps” towards a ceasefire with Hamas by the time the UN convened in September. British media reports indicate Starmer will formalize this policy shift on Sunday, despite strong objections from Israel.
Portugal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the country will declare recognition of Palestine on the same day. This decision culminates nearly 15 years of parliamentary discussions and was motivated by what Portugal described as an “extremely worrying evolution” of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, humanitarian concerns, and Israel’s warnings of annexation plans.
The recognition by the UK and Portugal is part of a broader trend, with other Western nations including France, Canada, Australia, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Malta expected to follow suit during the UN General Assembly week.
This move adds diplomatic pressure on Israel amid its military campaign in Gaza, which has drawn widespread international criticism and concern for the humanitarian crisis.
Approximately three-quarters of the United Nations member states already recognize Palestine, but recognition by major Western powers marks a significant political development.