PALESTINE: The Following Countries have Recognized the Existence of a Palestinian State

More than 145 countries have joined the call for international recognition of a Palestinian state, marking the growing number of countries that have done so.

Following the establishment of the state by the Palestine National Council (PNC), the majority of countries who recognize a State of Palestine did so in 1988. Throughout the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s, numerous other non-Western nations did the same.

In September, several countries, led by France, recognized a Palestinian state.

Amid outrage over Israel’s actions in the Gaza war, France, Canada, the United Kingdom, and numerous other Western countries publicly announced their recognition of a Palestinian state in September, further isolating Israel from the rest of the world.

More European and Caribbean countries, including Barbados, Ireland, Jamaica, Norway, and Spain, acknowledged a Palestinian state in the spring of 2024. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was urged at the time by Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris “to listen to the world and stop the humanitarian catastrophe we are seeing in Gaza.”

The first two countries in the Group of Seven (G7) to formally recognize the State of Palestine were Canada and the United Kingdom, only days before the September UN General Assembly meeting. Portugal and Australia did the same.

This is similar to the choices made by France, Luxembourg, and Malta during a UN session to recognize the State of Palestine. At that conference, Belgium also acknowledged the existence of a Palestinian state, but stated that it could only be legally implemented by the removal of Hamas and the return of the hostages.

In light of Israel’s military campaign and aid limits, the United States is becoming more and more estranged from some of its closest allies as a result of these recent declarations.

The European countries’ recent proposals for recognition have been “rejected” by Israel’s Foreign Ministry, which has described them as a “reward to Hamas” that jeopardizes truce attempts.

The demands for recognition have also drawn criticism from US President Donald Trump.

It follows broad condemnation of the famine crisis in Gaza brought on by Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid, which has been extensively decried by UN agencies and humanitarian groups, as well as a significant pushback against Israel’s entry into Gaza City this week.