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HERE ARE THE REASONS WHY RECOGNITION OF PALESTINE IS SUCH A BIG DEAL
 
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Daoud Kuttab
September 22, 2025
The New Republic
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_ Recognition of Palestinian statehood—especially from the
U.K.—is not merely symbolic. It has specific ramifications under
international law. _

A man holds a Palestinian flag outside the Palestine Mission to the
UK following the flag-raising ceremony to mark UK’s recognition of a
Palestinian State on September 22, 2025 in London, England. Leon
Neal/Getty Images A man holds a Palestinian flag outs, Leon Neal/Getty
Images

 

The recognition this weekend of Palestine by the U.K., Canada, and
Australia represents a major victory for the Palestinian people and a
long-overdue correction of historic injustice. These countries join an
increasing number of nations that now affirm a basic truth:
Sovereignty and rights in this land belong to the Palestinian people.
As the International Court of Justice has made clear, Israel has no
legitimate claim to sovereignty, self-defense, or permanent presence
in the occupied Palestinian territory.

 
Recognition of the June 4, 1967, borders reinforces U.N. resolutions
that reject Israel’s illegal settlements, its annexation of East
Jerusalem, and unilateral changes to Muslim and Christian holy places.
Even while Palestine remains under occupation, recognition creates a
vital paradigm shift. As Geneva peace negotiator Nomi Bar-Yaacov
observed, “When you’re negotiating state versus state, it’s not
the same as negotiating between a state and an unrecognized entity.”

This shift moves the discussion away from _whose land_ Palestine is to
the relations between the two neighboring states. Peace talks would
then focus on permanent borders, refugees, settlements, water rights,
and economic cooperation. At the same time, recognition denies
legitimacy to Israel’s occupation. As long as Israel persists in its
unlawful presence, it will continue to face international opprobrium
and fail to gain the legitimacy it seeks.

One of the most absurd arguments by Israel and its supporters is that
this recognition by leading Western countries is a reward for terror.
Palestinians for a century have been yearning for the right of
self-determination. The 2002 Arab peace plan offered Arab and Muslim
normalization with Israel if its army withdraws from Arab-occupied
territories. Israel has unilaterally ended all negotiations with
Palestinians since 2014 and has repeatedly refused offers made by
Palestine’s President Mahmoud Abbas, who has been publicly opposed
to Hamas and its methods for years. He supported, for example, the
French-Saudi plan that calls for disarming Hamas.

Palestine has long met the requirements for statehood. In 2012, the
U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to recognize it as a
non-member state. The only obstacle to full U.N. membership remains
the U.S. veto at the Security Council. Recognition by more
states—including France and Portugal, along with the three mentioned
above—further undermines Israel’s claim that the West Bank is
“disputed” territory, a claim often rooted in religious or
ideological justifications.

Recognition also strengthens the legal framework of the occupation.
Under the Fourth Geneva Convention, an occupying power must administer
territory for the benefit of its population—providing food,
medicine, humanitarian access, and public order. Israel’s courts
have resisted applying these obligations, claiming Palestinian land is
“disputed.” But recognition cements the reality: Palestine is a
state under occupation, with people whose rights cannot be dismissed.

It is within this broader context that Britain’s recent recognition
acquires particular weight. The United Kingdom was the country that
issued the Balfour Declaration in 1917, promising a Jewish homeland in
Palestine while disregarding the Indigenous Arab majority. Earlier, in
the McMahon-Hussein correspondence between the British High
Commissioner for Egypt and the sharif of Mecca in 1915–16, Britain
had pledged independence to Arab leaders. Its subsequent Mandate
deepened these contradictions, and its 1948 withdrawal left
Palestinians displaced while armed Jewish militias seized land.

For the U.K. to now recognize Palestine carries enormous symbolic
power. As former Foreign Secretary David Lammy reminded the U.N.,
Britain bears a “special burden of responsibility” to advance a
two-state solution. Recognition represents a step toward correcting
its historical missteps and honoring promises once made to the Arab
world.

Yet recognition alone does not end the occupation or Israel’s
devastating war on Gaza. What it does is place a permanent marker: The
West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza are Palestinian territories whose
people have the right to self-determination. But the international
community must go further—pressing Israel to freeze settlements,
halt disproportionate attacks, hold settlers accountable, and respect
prior agreements, such as the 1993 Declaration of Principles.

Supporting Palestinian governance is also essential. President Abbas,
despite relentless demonization, has consistently pursued peaceful
solutions, rejecting reconciliation with Hamas and accepting the
French-Saudi plan to disarm it. Recognition should be paired with
investment in Palestinian institutions and preparation for democratic
elections that can produce leaders with a clear mandate to negotiate.

A credible peace roadmap could involve replacing Israeli forces with a
neutral international and Arab presence for a transitional period.
This would allow Palestinians to hold elections and empower leaders
with legitimacy in negotiations. And if Israel retaliates with
annexation or further repression, the international community must be
prepared to act under Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter, including
through sanctions.

Peace in the Middle East is still possible. Recognition of a
democratic and independent Palestine is not the final step, but it is
the essential first step. Only with recognition, accountability, and
genuine political will can the world secure a just and lasting
coexistence between Israel and Palestine.

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Daoud Kuttab is a Palestinian journalist and columnist for AL Monitor
and Arab News.

* Palestine
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