Britain is set to formally recognise a Palestinian state.
Gatekeepers News reports that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to make the announcement on Sunday ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy told the BBC that Starmer will set out the position later on today, while UK media reported that full recognition is on the table.
Portugal also announced it would recognise the State of Palestine, with an official declaration scheduled for September 21.
If confirmed, the UK would become the first G7 country to take the step, joining more than 140 UN member states that already recognise Palestinian statehood. France and others are expected to follow suit at the annual UN debate.
The move comes amid mounting public pressure on the Labour government as Israel’s Gaza offensive continues following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack.
The conflict has caused mass destruction, tens of thousands of deaths, and a deep humanitarian crisis.
Lammy previously said at the UN that Britain bears a special burden of responsibility to support the two-state solution.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the UK’s plans, accusing Starmer of rewarding monstrous terrorism.
