Recognition Of Palestine By Western Powers: What Does It Mean, Symbolism Or Shift In Global Diplomacy?

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The United Kingdom, Canada and Australia officially recognised Palestine as a state on 21 September. The move is seen as a significant shift in foreign policy of these nations and a step away from their alignment with the United States which has leaned towards Israel under Donad Trump administration.

The annoucement by the three Commonwealth nations and longtime allies reflects growing outrage at Israel's conduct of the war in Gaza and the moves to thwart efforts to create a Palestinian state and its expansion West Bank settlements.

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“Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognizes the State of Palestine,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement.

Portugal also announced its decision to recognise Palestine as a state. France, Belgium and other countries poised to follow suit at the UN General Assembly.

Canada had, moments before, become the first Group of 7 nation to recognise the state of Palestine, as Prime Minister Mark Carney promised a "peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel."

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released a statement shortly after formally recognizing "the independent and sovereign State of Palestine."

Genocide against Palestinians in Gaza

The developments come days after a United Nations commission of inquiry said Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza .

The new report said there are reasonable grounds to conclude that four of the five genocidal acts defined under international law have been carried out since the start of the latest phase of war with Hamas in 2023: killing members of a group, causing them serious bodily and mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to destroy the group, and preventing births.

It will not happen: Netanyahu

The decision has prompted an angry response from Israel, which ruled out the prospect. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the three countries for proffering a 'prize' to Hamas.“It will not happen,” he said.

“A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River.”

Netanyahu said he would announce Israel's response after the trip. Ntanyahu will speak at the General Assembly on Friday before heading to see US President Donald Trump at the White House.

What does recognise a Palestinian state mean?

Remember, recognition does not mean that a Palestinian state has been created. In fact, the recognition by major world powers, excluding the US, is largely symbolic and carries political weight, according to experts.

“I know for many people this seems only symbolic, but actually in terms of symbolism, it is sort of a game changer,” lawyer and Franco-British law professor Philippe Sands wrote in the New York Times in August.

Palestine has international recognition, diplomatic missions abroad and teams that compete in sporting competitions, including the Olympics. But because if its long-standing dispute with Israel, Palestine has no internationally agreed boundaries, no capital and no army, a report in BBC said.

Also, because of Israel's military occupation in the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority (PA) which was set up in the wake of peace agreements in the 1990s does not have full control of its land or people.

'Puts Palestine and Israel on level footing'

Gaza, where Israel is also the occupying power, is in the midst of a devastating war since 2023.

Under these circumstances, Palestine is what many call a kind of quasi-state. The recognition would thus mean a strong moral and political statement. It, however, doesn't change much on ground.

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“Because once you recognise Palestinian statehood... you essentially put Palestine and Israel on level footing in terms of their treatment under international law,” Sands wrote.

Who recognises Palestine as a state?

Palestine is currently recognised by around 75 per cent of the UN's 193 member states. At the UN, Palestine has the status of a "permanent observer state", allowing participation but no voting rights.

With the British and upcoming French recognition, Palestine will soon enjoy the support of four of the UN Security Council 's five permanent members. China and Russia both recognised Palestine in 1988.

This leaves the US, Israel's strongest ally by far, in a minority of one.

The US has recognised the Palestinian Authority , currently headed by Mahmoud Abbas, since its formation in the mid-1990s. Since then, several presidents have expressed their support for the eventual creation of a Palestinian state. But under Donald Trump administrations, the US policy has leaned heavily in favour of Israel.

France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Malta are expected to follow suit during a summit on the future of the two-state solution chaired by France and Saudi Arabia on Monday at United Nations headquarters in New York .

Russia, alongside all Arab countries, almost all African and Latin American countries, and most Asian countries including India and China are already on the list.

Algeria became the first country to officially recognize a Palestinian state on November 15, 1988, minutes after late Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) leader Yasser Arafat unilaterally proclaimed an independent Palestinian state.

Most complicated questions

Romain Le Boeuf, a professor in international law at the University of Aix-Marseille in southern France , described recognition of Palestinian statehood as“one of the most complicated questions” in international law,“a little like a halfway point between the political and juridical.”

Le Boeuf, told news agency AFP states were free to choose the timing and form of recognition, with great variations that are either explicit or implicit.

There is no office to register recognitions.“The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank puts all they consider to be acts of recognition on its own list, but from a purely subjective point of view. In the same way, other states will say that they have or have not recognized, but without really having to justify themselves,” he said.

What changes on ground?

The move means Palestine will have full diplomatic rights and missions with the nations recognising it as a state.

In case of United Kingdon, for example, the Foreign Office said Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will write to her Palestinian counterpart in "due course to lay out the process for establishing full diplomatic relations".

Currently, the Palestinian Authority (PA) delegation to the UK is not at embassy level and operates as a "diplomatic mission" based in Hammersmith, west London.

Embassy status would give the delegations protection and privileges under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

International status of Palestinian statehood?

The PA, led by President Mahmoud Abbas , is internationally recognised as representing the Palestinian people.

However, the governing body exercises limited self-rule in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank under agreements with Israel. It issues Palestinian passports and runs the Palestinian health and education systems.

However, some trade, investment, educational and cultural exchanges are restricted by Israel, and there are currently no Palestinian airports.

The landlocked West Bank can only be reached through Israel or through the Israeli-controlled border with Jordan. Israel also controls all access to the Gaza Strip.

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The Palestinian state has been under Israeli military occupation for more than half a century.

Hoe does Palestine become a sovereign state?

Under the Montevideo Convention of 1933, officially the Convention on the Rights and Duties of States, there are several criteria before Palestine can be recognised as a sovereign state under international law. The process requires the state to have:

. A permanent population.

. A defined territory.

. An effective government and international relations.

. Formal diplomatic processes including embassies, ambassadors and treaties.

What's the Indian stand been?

India formally recognised Palestinian statehood way back on November 18, 1988.

The Congress on Sunday lashed out at the Narendra Modi government , saying India's policy on Palestine, especially for the past 20 months, has been "shameful and one of moral cowardice".

Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, said Australia, Canada, and the UK have just recognised Palestine as a state, and more countries are expected to do so soon.

India formally recognised Palestinian statehood way back on November 18, 1988., he said. "But India's policy in regard to Palestine - especially for the past 20 months - has been shameful and one of moral cowardice," Ramesh said on X in an apparent reference to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

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Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also pointed out that India was among the first few countries in the world to recognise Palestine as a state in November 1988.

Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, the United Kingdom formally recognizes the State of Palestine.

"At the time, and in fact all along the valiant struggle of the Palestinian people, we showed the world the way by standing for what was right and upholding the values of humanity and justice on the international stage," she said on X after UK, Canada and Australia's decision on recognition of Palestinian state.

(With agency inputs)

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