The United Kingdom, Canada, Portugal, and Australia have formally recognized Palestine as a state on Sunday, marking a significant shift in foreign policy and a break from their traditional alignment with the United States.

This coordinated move, announced by Prime Ministers Keir Starmer, Mark Carney, and Anthony Albanese, comes amid escalating conflict in Gaza, with Israel continuing a major ground offensive in Gaza City, and is intended to revive the prospects of a two-state solution.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the UK's recognition in a video statement, declaring, “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.” He emphasized that the move was not a reward for Hamas, which he stated would have no future or role in a Palestinian government, and reiterated the UK's demand for Hamas to release all hostages, sign a ceasefire, and disarm.

Starmer cited the “growing horror in the Middle East” and the “utterly intolerable” situation in Gaza as key drivers for the decision, stating the UK is acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and a two-state solution. The UK had previously conditioned recognition on Israel taking substantive steps to end the crisis in Gaza, a threshold not met.

Prime Minister Carney announced Canada's recognition, calling it a “co-ordinated international effort” toward a two-state solution. His office stated the recognition is aligned with the principles of self-determination and human rights, and is predicated on the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to hold elections in 2026 without Hamas involvement and to demilitarize the state.

Carney emphasized that Canada’s recognition does not detract from its unwavering support for Israel’s security, which can only be guaranteed through a comprehensive peace agreement. The decision follows Carney’s earlier pledge to recognize Palestine, a move that reportedly caused friction with US President Donald Trump, who warned it could threaten Canada’s trade relations.

Prime Minister Albanese formally recognized “the independent and sovereign State of Palestine” in a statement released shortly after the UK and Canada’s announcements. He described the three nations’ actions as part of a “coordinated international effort to build new momentum for a two-state solution.” Albanese echoed the UK and Canada, stating that Hamas must have “no role in Palestine.”

The recognition, driven by growing international concern over Israel's conduct in Gaza and the near-total destruction of the enclave, has been met with strong opposition from Israel and the U.S., while Hamas has welcomed the decision.

The recognition has been met with fierce condemnation from Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared, “We will have to fight both at the UN and in all other arenas against the false propaganda against us and the calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state that will endanger our existence and constitute an absurd reward for terrorism.” He reiterated his firm stance that “a Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River.”

The Israeli Foreign Affairs Ministry called the declarations “categorically reject[ed]” and stated they “do not promote peace, but on the contrary — further destabilize the region.”

The move comes as Israel intensifies its military campaign in Gaza City, with Israeli strikes killing at least 34 people overnight, according to health officials, and hundreds of thousands of people living under famine conditions. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has worsened significantly since October 2023, with over 65,000 Palestinians killed and much of the territory destroyed.

This recognition is largely symbolic but grants Palestine increased diplomatic standing and the potential for treaty-making. It reflects a growing international consensus, with over 140 UN member states already recognizing Palestine, and signals a shift among key US allies.

The UK, Canada, and Australia are part of a broader wave of recognition expected at the upcoming UN General Assembly, with France, Portugal, and others likely to follow. The decision is also seen as a response to Israel’s continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank, which many view as undermining the viability of a Palestinian state.

The UK’s historical role in the region, including the 1917 Balfour Declaration, adds weight to the symbolic significance of its recognition.

The UK government, led by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, has threatened to introduce new legislation requiring YouTube to prominently feature public service broadcaster (PSB) content, such as that from the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4, on its platform, citing the need for fair commercial returns and the survival of public service media.

The dispute stems from a July 2025 report by media regulator Ofcom, which warned that PSB content is becoming an "endangered species" due to the dominance of platforms like YouTube, and urged the government to act to ensure this content remains discoverable.

This July 2025 report from Ofcom, the UK's media regulator, concluded that without action, the very existence of PSBs could be threatened, as their content becomes harder to find on dominant platforms.

Ofcom specifically recommended legislation to make UK-focused shows and news easier to discover on third-party platforms, with YouTube highlighted as a primary concern due to its market dominance.

Secretary Nandy emphasized that PSB content should be featured with fair commercial returns. She described PSBs as fighting with "one arm behind its back" against challenges like funding shortfalls and changing viewing habits.

Speaking at the Royal Television Society’s Cambridge Convention this week, the culture secretary did not name YouTube, but said that "Public service media content should be prominent on major video sharing platforms and on fair commercial returns. If we need to regulate, we will.”

She added: “Public service media is fighting to be seen and heard in an increasingly competitive market. It fights with one arm behind its back, staring down multiple challenges — funding shortfalls, changing viewing habits, and regulation that hasn’t kept pace with the media revolution of recent years.”

The far-left Labour member of parliament also praised the BBC: “It is a light on the hill for people here and across the world and the best defence against the tide of toxic populism, fear and division that sows distrust and costs us the ability to understand one another.”

In response, YouTube has called the government's threat of legislative intervention "premature," asserting it is committed to working constructively with broadcasters to ensure their content is accessible and successful on the platform.

YouTube argued that the focus should be on constructive partnership rather than regulation The company stated it is committed to working with PSBs to ensure users have access to high-quality, public interest content.

“Everything we do is guided by delivering value to our users and protecting the vibrant ecosystem that our creators and viewers make possible," a YouTube spoklesperson said. "This extends to our broadcast partners, where we are seeing that many have achieved remarkable success in reaching new audiences on YouTube.

“We are committed to working constructively to ensure users continue to have access to high-quality, public interest content. Discussions about regulation seem premature when there are so many more opportunities for closer partnership with PSBs to achieve our shared objectives.”

A well-placed BBC source indicated that YouTube is "leaning in" to talks with broadcasters, and conversations have been described as constructive, although no formal agreements have been reached.

YouTube's argument in these discussions is that simply promoting PSB content in recommendations may not significantly increase viewership, as users often skip over them to find the content they want. The platform also noted that many PSBs have already achieved remarkable success in reaching new audiences on YouTube.

The tension arises from YouTube's significant growth, particularly on television devices, which has led to it becoming a primary TV platform for many UK viewers. Recent Ofcom research found YouTube was the second most-watched service in the UK last year and has been regularly outranking the BBC in 2025. This shift in viewing habits has alarmed broadcasters who rely on public service broadcasting (PSB) mandates and funding, which are under pressure in the digital age.

The issue is further complicated by the fact that YouTube, as a global platform, operates under different commercial and regulatory models than traditional broadcasters. The situation has been a dominant topic at recent UK media conferences, with discussions about YouTube's role in the media ecosystem.

Critics however point out that viewers prefer to watch what, when and where they want to, and the general distrust of legacy media has pushed many towards social media content by their favorite creators.