Who has recognized the state of Palestine?

Amid a landmark diplomatic shift nearly two years into the Gaza war, ten countries - including two of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - have recognised a future Palestine state in recent days.

The string of announcements have come at a high-level summit ahead of the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York.

Who are the ten countries and what explanations have they given?

France 

French President Emmanuel Macron has led the current drive for recognition.

Macron announced on Monday that France would recognize Palestine statehood at a meeting he convened with Saudi Arabia at the UNGA. It's a milestone that puts the French President on a collision course with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

American political news website Politico quoted two European officials and a person familiar with the Israeli government's thinking as saying Israel is preparing multiple options. Those could include accelerating closing the French consulate in Jerusalem and encroaching on French-owned territory in Israel.

At the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Macron told delegates: "We must do everything possible to preserve a two-state solution. This is why I declare today that France recognizes the state of Palestine.

"Recognition takes nothing away from the rights of Israel…breaking the cycle [of violence] lies in the recognition of the other."

Andorra 

The Andorran representative to the UN said on Monday: "This assembly, by an overwhelming majority, believes that the Palestinian people should live in peace and security in their own state, alongside the State of Israel."

Belgium 

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever announced his country's recognition in a speech at the French-Saudi conference. He said the decision came in response to "recent statements by Israeli ministers, including the Prime Minister, that 'a Palestinian state will never be established.'"

De Wever added: "Belgium is sending a strong political and diplomatic signal to the world as it joins the group of countries that declare recognition of the State of Palestine. The move cannot be a reward for Hamas. Aware of the trauma caused after the terrorist attack on October 7, Belgium will proceed with legal recognition of Palestine only after all hostages are released and terrorist organizations are removed from the government."

Luxembourg 

Belgium's neighbors also chose Monday as the day to announce its recognition. According to a press release by the Ministry of State and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development: "Luxembourg's recognition of the State of Palestine is fully in line with the country's longstanding and consistent commitment to the two-state solution, the only viable path to achieving a just and lasting peace based on the peaceful and secure coexistence of the State of Israel and the State of Palestine."

Malta 

Speaking on Monday at the French-Saudi conference, Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela said: "We know the dangers that lie along that (two-state) path. But we also know the greater dangers of saying nothing can be done - that the dream has died…Just because something is hard, doesn't make it impossible."

Monaco 

Prince Albert II, the hereditary ruler of the principality, told delegates: "Today, we wish to reaffirm our unwavering support to Israel's existence, and we also wish to recognise Palestine as a state under international law."

UK 

Britain's decision, announced on Sunday, carried particular symbolism given its major role in Israel's creation as a modern nation in the aftermath of World War Two.

"Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine," said Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

"The man-made humanitarian crisis in Gaza reaches new depths. The Israeli government's relentless and increasing bombardment of Gaza, the offensive of recent weeks, the starvation and devastation are utterly intolerable."

Canada 

Similar sentiments were echoed by Canadian prime Minister Mark Carney who announced: "Canada recognises the State of Palestine and offers our partnership in building the promise of a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel."

Australia 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong issued a joint statement on Sunday. It included this section: "Now is the time. You can't just watch what is unfolding there and not have a response. Australia is not [a] big player in the Middle East. It's not a major trading partner. We don't provide arms to Israel. What we can do, though, is to use this statement in conjunction with other partners to make this declaration."

Portugal 

The southern European nation became the fourth country to announce its recognition of Palestine on Sunday. 

"The recognition of the state of Palestine is the realization of a fundamental, constant, and fundamental line of Portuguese foreign policy," Rangel told reporters at the headquarters of Portugal's permanent mission to the United Nations in New York.

How many countries now recognize Palestine?

A total of 157 of the 193 UN member states have now formally recognised Palestinian statehood.

Spain, Norway and Ireland recognised Palestinian statehood last year, with Madrid also imposing sanctions on Israel for its war on Gaza.

Most of the nations that recognize a State of Palestine did so in 1988, including China, following the Palestine National Council's (PNC) declaration of the state. 

Why now? 

The most far-right government in Israel's history has declared there will be no Palestinian state as it pushes on with its fight against militant group Hamas in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed some 1,200 people.

Israel has drawn global condemnation over its military conduct in Gaza, where more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to local health authorities. In recent weeks, Israel has begun a long-threatened ground assault on Gaza City with few prospects for a ceasefire.

The two-state solution was the bedrock of the U.S.-backed peace process ushered in by the 1993 Oslo Accords. The process suffered heavy pushback from both sides and has all but died.

No such negotiations over a two-state solution have been held since 2014.

Who won't recognise Palestine?

While the majority of European countries now recognize a Palestinian state, two of the continent's largest economies, Germany and Italy, have signaled they are unlikely to make such a move soon.

Germany — long a strong supporter of Israel because of its responsibility for the Holocaust — has grown more critical of Israeli policy, while insisting that recognition of a Palestinian state should come at the end of a political process to agree on a two-state solution.

A German government spokesperson also said on Monday there must be no further annexations in Israeli-occupied territory.

Italy said recognizing a Palestinian state could be "counterproductive."

Unsurprisingly, Israel and the U.S. are opposed to the recognition of a Palestinian state. Other refuseniks include Japan, Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, South Korea, Austria, Croatia and Greece.