Recognition of Palestine: a long history

On 21 September, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that the United Kingdom had formally recognised the State of Palestine. On the same day Canada, Australia, and Portugal also declared their recognition of the Palestinian state. 

Today, France will also grant recognition during a conference on the two-state solution, organised as part of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The Élysée expects several other Western countries, such as Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and San Marino, to follow suit. 

This French initiative is part of a broader diplomatic effort conducted jointly with Saudi Arabia.  

At the end of July, the two countries co-hosted a UN conference devoted to the two-state solution, bringing together around one hundred delegations.  

The outcome of these discussions, known as the “New York Declaration,” set out a roadmap for a lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while explicitly excluding Hamas from the negotiations.  

In May 2024, Spain, Ireland, and Norway jointly recognised Palestine. They were followed by Slovenia the next month, then by Armenia and Mexico. 

Prior to the recent announcements of recognition in the run-up to the 2025 General Assembly, the State of Palestine was officially recognised by 148 of the 193 UN Member States. 

Israel, by contrast, is recognised by 165 of the UN’s 193 member states.  

A gradual recognition since 1988 

The State of Palestine was officially created by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from Algiers on 15 November 1988. Algeria was the first country to recognise the new state. 

About fifty countries followed suit: members of the Arab League, those of the former Soviet bloc, as well as several African and Asian countries. 

Several waves of recognition followed. In 2010 and 2011 in particular, most Central and Latin American countries in turn recognised Palestine. 

Ten of the EU’s 27 members already recognise Palestine 

Later came the first recognitions from European countries – Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Cyprus all recognised the State of Palestine before being admitted into the European Union. 

Technically, Sweden was the first country to recognise Palestine while already being a member of the EU. Following today’s expected announcements, the Palestinian state will be recognised by 16 of the EU’s 27 member states, though Hungary and Czechia now dispute their earlier recognition. 

Of the 54 African Union member states, only Eritrea and Cameroon, which have close ties with Israel, do not recognise Palestine. The African Union, as an organisation, openly supports the Palestinian cause and grants Palestine observer state status. 

The State of Palestine and the UN 

At Algeria’s request, Palestine became a member of UNESCO in 2011, which led to the suspension of U.S. payments to the organisation. The U.S. formally withdrew from UNESCO in 2017. Under the Biden administration, in 2023, the U.S. rejoined UNESCO but once again left this institution dedicated to culture and education after U.S. President Donald Trump’s return to power in 2025. 

The State of Palestine was admitted on 29 November 2012, as a UN observer state following a vote with 138 in favour, 9 against, and 41 abstentions. 

In 2015, it became a state party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. It is also an observer member of the World Health Organization (WHO), an associate member of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and, since 2018, a member of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).