Cynthia Ezegwu
A Palestinian flag was raised outside the mission in London on Monday, a day after the United Kingdom formally recognised the State of Palestine, alongside Australia, Canada and Portugal.
The move came as several other nations, including France, are expected to announce recognition at the ongoing United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Head of Mission Husam Zomlot described the recognition as “long overdue,” calling it an acknowledgment of “a historic injustice” amid the ongoing Gaza war. Holding a plaque inscribed “Embassy of the State of Palestine,” Zomlot said it would be mounted soon “pending some legal work.”
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed that the Palestinian Authority could now establish an embassy and appoint an ambassador in the UK. She added that the recognition was part of efforts to advance a two-state solution.
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Britain’s foreign ministry has already updated its travel advice page, changing the term “Occupied Palestinian Territories” to “Palestine.”
Israel, however, strongly condemned the move. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the recognition “absurd,” warning it endangered Israel’s security, and pledged to speed up settlement expansion in the West Bank.
The development comes as Israel presses its Gaza offensive following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, which killed 1,219 people in southern Israel. In response, Israel’s military campaign has left more than 65,000 people dead in Gaza, according to figures from the territory’s health ministry.