Department of Strategic Research, Studies and International Relations 22-09-2025

Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia recently announced their recognition of Palestine as a state, a move that generated international headlines and was hailed by some as “historic.” Yet beyond the symbolism, the decision exposes the contradictions of Western policy: it is less about genuine justice for Palestinians and more about Western governments seeking to salvage their credibility as Israel’s atrocities continue.

A belated gesture amid genocide

The announcements by Ottawa, London, and Canberra come against the backdrop of Israel’s relentless war on Gaza and its accelerated annexation of Palestinian land in the West Bank. On the very day of the recognition statements, Israeli air raids killed at least 55 Palestinians in Gaza, including 37 in Gaza City. Since October 2023, Israel’s military assault has killed over 65,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 166,000, figures that most observers believe are significantly higher.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the recognition as “absurd,” branding it a “reward for terrorism,” while reiterating at a rally in occupied East Jerusalem that there would “never be a Palestinian state.” Israel’s defiance underscores a hard truth: symbolic gestures from Western capitals have no impact on the reality of occupation, murder, and displacement.

Breaking ranks with Washington, but only slightly

The significance of Canada, the UK, and Australia’s decision lies in their status as close U.S. allies. For decades, Washington has dictated the line: recognition of Palestine should come only after an Israeli-approved settlement. By breaking from this, these countries have placed Israel in deeper international isolation.

Yet the limits are obvious. The recognition does not grant Palestine new rights at the United Nations, nor does it enable full membership in global institutions without U.S. approval, thanks to Washington’s veto power at the Security Council. As Rida Abu Rass, a Palestinian political scientist, observed, recognition “matters” politically, but without sanctions, embargoes, or concrete actions, it remains largely symbolic.

Performative politics under pressure

Analysts argue the move is more about Western leaders managing domestic discontent than altering conditions on the ground. Mass protests, boycott campaigns, and growing liberal frustration in Western societies have forced leaders to “do something.” Recognition, then, becomes a low-cost way to appease public opinion while avoiding genuine confrontation with Israel.

Professor Mohamad Elmasry of the Doha Institute called it a performative act: “They’re under pressure, both internationally and domestically. Recognition is their way of pretending to act, while refusing to take substantive steps.”

The fact remains: Israel continues its genocidal campaign undisturbed, and recognition has not halted its violence in Gaza or settler expansion in the West Bank.

The recognition allows the three countries to establish full diplomatic relations with Palestine. The UK, for instance, will now formally recognise Husam Zomlot as the Palestinian ambassador. In his statement, Zomlot described the recognition as “long-overdue” and linked it to Britain’s historic role in Palestinian dispossession, particularly through the infamous Balfour Declaration.

However, while such diplomatic gestures may carry symbolic weight, they do not stop Israeli bombs or dismantle the apartheid system. As Abu Rass warned, “Even if every country recognised Palestine, little would change unless the occupation itself is dismantled.”

International isolation of Israel grows

Beyond the West, the global tide has long shifted. Russia, China, India, and the majority of Asian, African, and Latin American states already recognise Palestine. The few holdouts are the U.S., Japan, South Korea, and some European states, nations increasingly isolated in their unconditional support for Israel.

International boycotts are also gaining strength. Europe is considering sanctions on Israeli goods and leaders. Campaigns could soon see Israel excluded from Eurovision and global sporting events. This mirrors the path of apartheid South Africa, which was gradually pushed into pariah status through sustained global pressure.

The “special burden” of Britain

Britain’s recognition carries a particular weight. The UK’s colonial legacy, from the Balfour Declaration to decades of supporting Israeli expansion, has been central to the Palestinian tragedy. Foreign Secretary David Lammy admitted that London bears a “special responsibility” to back a two-state solution. But recognition without accountability rings hollow. Genuine responsibility would require dismantling the colonial structures Britain helped create, imposing sanctions, and prosecuting Israeli war crimes.

Saving face, not saving lives

Ultimately, the recognition reflects Western governments’ attempt to “save face.” They have armed and funded Israel for decades, turning a blind eye to Palestinian suffering. Now, faced with a genocide that even their own populations cannot ignore, they scramble to appear humane.

But Palestinians do not need symbolic recognition; they need the end of occupation, the lifting of blockades, the prosecution of war criminals, and real international protection. That requires concrete measures, sanctions, embargoes, and the severing of military and diplomatic ties, not empty declarations.

As long as Washington shields Israel at the UN and Europe refuses to impose serious costs, recognition will remain hollow. The genuine axis of support for Palestinian rights lies not in Western capitals, but in the multipolar alliances led by China, Russia, India, and much of the Global South, who consistently defend the principles of sovereignty, justice, and resistance against colonial domination