Over 150 nations recognise Palestine as Washington and Tel Aviv face isolation
By Wissal Khlifi:Department of Strategic Research, Studies and International Relations 24-09-2025
In 2025, international recognition of the State of Palestine has reached unprecedented levels, exposing the deepening isolation of the United States and Israel. A total of 157 United Nations member states, representing 81 percent of the world, have now formally recognised Palestine as a sovereign state. This broad support underscores the growing divide between the collective will of the international community and the stubborn obstruction of Western powers led by Washington.
A turning point at the United Nations
At the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, six European states, France, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Andorra, and Belgium, formally recognised Palestine. Their decision marked a historic break with decades of hesitation in Western Europe, and added significant diplomatic weight to the global call for justice.
They joined Canada, Australia, and Portugal, along with the United Kingdom, which finally announced recognition on September 21, 2025. For Britain, the move came more than a century after the infamous Balfour Declaration that paved the way for Israel’s creation, and decades after London’s direct complicity in the displacement of Palestinians under the British Mandate.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in announcing the decision, claimed it was “to keep alive the possibility of peace and a two-state solution.” Yet for many observers, recognition by London and its allies is far less a gesture of goodwill and far more a response to mounting international outrage at Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which has already claimed over 65,000 Palestinian lives.
A global majority standing with Palestine
Palestine’s recognition now extends to 157 of the UN’s 193 members, in addition to the Holy See. This includes nearly the entire Arab and Islamic world, the majority of African and Asian countries, and a growing number of European and Latin American states.
From historic allies such as Russia, China, and India, who all recognised Palestine in 1988, to recent converts like Ireland, Norway, Spain, Mexico, and now the UK, the list reflects a sweeping realignment of global opinion. The momentum is especially striking given the timing: since Israel escalated its war on Gaza in October 2023, twenty new countries have extended recognition, eleven of them in 2025 alone.
The Meaning of Recognition
Formal recognition gives Palestine enhanced legitimacy and practical tools in the international arena. It allows Palestinian authorities to open embassies with full diplomatic status, secure trade agreements, and strengthen their voice in international forums. Recognition also empowers Palestine to press cases at the International Criminal Court (ICC), increasing the pressure on Israel’s leadership to face accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
However, recognition alone cannot end the suffering of Palestinians under military occupation. Israel continues to expand settlements in the West Bank, intensify its blockade of Gaza, and unleash indiscriminate violence with the backing of U.S. weapons and vetoes.
As Martin Griffiths of Mediation Group International explained, recognition is “the entry point, but not the end point.” He stressed that governments must follow up with concrete action, halting arms sales to Israel, lifting blockades, and ensuring humanitarian aid reaches Palestinians.
Israel’s predictable rejection
Israel’s response to this wave of recognition has been one of denial and defiance. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the UK’s recognition as a “prize for Hamas,” insisting that a Palestinian state “will not happen.” His UN ambassador went further, ridiculing the General Assembly’s session on Palestinian statehood as a “circus.”
These statements reveal not only Israel’s disdain for international law but also its growing sense of isolation. The refusal to acknowledge Palestinian rights is increasingly out of step with the global community, even among Israel’s former allies in the West.
Historical context of recognition
The journey of Palestinian statehood has been long and painful. In November 1988, during the First Intifada, Yasser Arafat proclaimed the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. More than 80 nations quickly recognised it, most of them from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Arab world. Many of these early recognitions came from states aligned with the Soviet Union and the Non-Aligned Movement, underlining the solidarity of the Global South against colonialism.
The Oslo Accords of 1993 briefly raised hopes for a two-state solution, but Israel’s refusal to halt settlement expansion and the United States’ constant shielding of Tel Aviv through its UN veto power ensured that Palestinian aspirations remained blocked.
In 2012, Palestine achieved non-member observer status at the UN with overwhelming support: 138 votes in favour, nine against, and 41 abstentions. The only opponents were the U.S., Israel, and a handful of their client states. This upgrade allowed Palestine to participate in debates and international institutions, but not to vote.
More recently, in April 2024, Washington once again wielded its veto to block a resolution granting Palestine full UN membership, despite overwhelming support from the General Assembly. The U.S. has used its veto over 50 times to shield Israel, preventing accountability for occupation, illegal settlements, and mass killings.
The shifting global balance
The growing recognition of Palestine highlights a wider transformation in international politics. Countries of the Global South, supported by major powers like China, Russia, and India, are increasingly asserting themselves against U.S. hegemony. For decades, Washington relied on its influence over Western Europe and its veto at the Security Council to protect Israel. But as more European states join the majority in recognising Palestine, the façade of Western unity is crumbling.
Moscow and Beijing have consistently called for genuine multilateralism, an end to occupation, and respect for Palestinian sovereignty. India, too, has long backed Palestinian independence, standing by its historic anti-colonial principles despite deepening ties with Israel in recent years. Together, these powers represent a multipolar order where U.S. diktats no longer dictate global consensus.
Recognition as resistance
While recognition does not stop bombs from falling on Gaza or soldiers from raiding West Bank villages, it is a powerful act of political resistance. Each new recognition isolates Washington and Tel Aviv further, undermines Israel’s propaganda of “democratic legitimacy,” and strengthens Palestine’s case in international law.
For Palestinians, it is a reminder that they are not alone. From Latin America to Africa, from Asia to Europe, nations are rejecting the colonial project imposed on them and affirming Palestine’s right to exist as a sovereign state.
Conclusion
As of 2025, Palestine has the recognition of more than four-fifths of the world’s nations. The tide of history is clearly turning, even if Israel and the United States remain defiant. Recognition by states across continents shows that the struggle of the Palestinian people resonates with the broader fight against imperialism and domination.
The global community, led by the voices of the Global South and supported by powers like China, Russia, and India, is charting a course towards justice. And while recognition may be only the first step, it represents a decisive shift: the world is moving away from Washington’s shadow and towards a new era of multipolar solidarity with Palestine.
1 France September 22, 2025
2 Luxembourg September 22, 2025
3 Malta September 22, 2025
4 Monaco September 22, 2025
5 Belgium September 22, 2025
6 Andorra September 22, 2025
7 United Kingdom September 21, 2025
8 Australia September 21, 2025
9 Canada September 21, 2025
10 Portugal September 21, 2025
11 Mexico March 20, 2025
12 Armenia June 21, 2024
13 Slovenia June 4, 2024
14 Ireland May 22, 2024
15 Norway May 22, 2024
16 Spain May 22, 2024
17 Bahamas May 8, 2024
18 Trinidad and Tobago May 3, 2024
19 Jamaica April 24, 2024
20 Barbados April 20, 2024
21 St Kitts and Nevis July 29, 2019
22 Colombia August 3, 2018
23 St Lucia September 14, 2015
24 Holy See * June 26, 2015
25 Sweden October 30, 2014
26 Haiti September 27, 2013
27 Guatemala April 9, 2013
28 Thailand January 18, 2012
29 Iceland December 15, 2011
30 Brazil December 3, 2011
31 Grenada September 25, 2011
32 Antigua and Barbuda September 22, 2011
33 Dominica September 19, 2011
34 Belize September 9, 2011
35 St Vincent and the Grenadines August 29, 2011
36 Honduras August 26, 2011
37 El Salvador August 25, 2011
38 Syria July 18, 2011
39 South Sudan July 14, 2011
40 Liberia July 1, 2011
41 Lesotho May 3, 2011
42 Uruguay March 16, 2011
43 Paraguay January 29, 2011
44 Suriname January 26, 2011
45 Peru January 24, 2011
46 Guyana January 13, 2011
47 Chile January 7, 2011
48 Ecuador December 27, 2010
49 Bolivia December 17, 2010
50 Argentina December 6, 2010
51 Dominican Republic July 15, 2009
52 Venezuela April 27, 2009
53 Ivory Coast December 1, 2008
54 Lebanon November 30, 2008
55 Costa Rica February 5, 2008
56 Montenegro July 24, 2006
57 East Timor March 1, 2004
58 Malawi October 23, 1998
59 Kyrgyzstan November 1, 1995
60 South Africa February 15, 1995
61 Papua New Guinea January 13, 1995
62 Uzbekistan September 25, 1994
63 Tajikistan April 2, 1994
64 Bosnia and Herzegovina May 27, 1992
65 Georgia April 25, 1992
66 Turkmenistan April 17, 1992
67 Azerbaijan April 15, 1992
68 Kazakhstan April 6, 1992
69 Eswatini July 1, 1991
70 Philippines September 1, 1989
71 Vanuatu August 21, 1989
72 Benin May 1, 1989
73 Equatorial Guinea May 1, 1989
74 Kenya May 1, 1989
75 Ethiopia February 4, 1989
76 Rwanda January 2, 1989
77 Bhutan December 25, 1988
78 Central African Republic December 23, 1988
79 Burundi December 22, 1988
80 Botswana December 19, 1988
81 Nepal December 19, 1988
82 Democratic Republic of the Congo December 18, 1988
83 Poland December 14, 1988
84 Oman December 13, 1988
85 Gabon December 12, 1988
86 Sao Tome and Principe December 10, 1988
87 Mozambique December 8, 1988
88 Angola December 6, 1988
89 Republic of the Congo December 5, 1988
90 Sierra Leone December 3, 1988
91 Uganda December 3, 1988
92 Laos December 2, 1988
93 Chad December 1, 1988
94 Ghana November 29, 1988
95 Togo November 29, 1988
96 Zimbabwe November 29, 1988
97 Maldives November 28, 1988
98 Bulgaria November 25, 1988
99 Cape Verde November 24, 1988
100 North Korea November 24, 1988
101 Niger November 24, 1988
102 Romania November 24, 1988
103 Tanzania November 24, 1988
104 Hungary November 23, 1988
105 Mongolia November 22, 1988
106 Senegal November 22, 1988
107 Burkina Faso November 21, 1988
108 Cambodia November 21, 1988
109 Comoros November 21, 1988
110 Guinea November 21, 1988
111 Guinea-Bissau November 21, 1988
112 Mali November 21, 1988
113 China November 20, 1988
114 Belarus November 19, 1988
115 Namibia November 19, 1988
116 Russia November 19, 1988
117 Ukraine November 19, 1988
118 Vietnam November 19, 1988
119 Cyprus November 18, 1988
120 Czech Republic November 18, 1988
121 Egypt November 18, 1988
122 The Gambia November 18, 1988
123 India November 18, 1988
124 Nigeria November 18, 1988
125 Seychelles November 18, 1988
126 Slovakia November 18, 1988
127 Sri Lanka November 18, 1988
128 Albania November 17, 1988
129 Brunei Darussalam November 17, 1988
130 Djibouti November 17, 1988
131 Mauritius November 17, 1988
132 Sudan November 17, 1988
133 Afghanistan November 16, 1988
134 Bangladesh November 16, 1988
135 Cuba November 16, 1988
136 Jordan November 16, 1988
137 Madagascar November 16, 1988
138 Nicaragua November 16, 1988
139 Pakistan November 16, 1988
140 Qatar November 16, 1988
141 Saudi Arabia November 16, 1988
142 Serbia November 16, 1988
143 United Arab Emirates November 16, 1988
144 Zambia November 16, 1988
145 Algeria November 15, 1988
146 Bahrain November 15, 1988
147 Indonesia November 15, 1988
148 Iraq November 15, 1988
149 Kuwait November 15, 1988
150 Libya November 15, 1988
151 Malaysia November 15, 1988
152 Mauritania November 15, 1988
153 Morocco November 15, 1988
154 Somalia November 15, 1988
155 Tunisia November 15, 1988
156 Turkiye November 15, 1988
157 Yemen November 15, 1988
158 Iran February 4, 1988
