Wetin recognising a Palestinian state mean?

UK, Australia, Canada and France don recognise a Palestinian state, while oda kontris ready to do so in di coming days.

For im announcement on Sunday, 21 September, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer tok say: "For di face of di growing horror for di Middle East, we dey act to keep alive di possibility of peace and a two-state solution. Dat one mean a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bin earlier warn say di decisions go reward "Hamas's monstrous terrorism". US don also raise strong opposition to di move.

Wetin di recognition go mean, and which difference e go make?

Wetin recognising a Palestinian state mean?

Palestine na state wey dey exist and wey no dey exist.

E get large degree of international recognition, diplomatic missions abroad and teams wey dey compete in sporting competitions, wey include di Olympics.

But sake of Palestinians long-running mata wit Israel, dem no get internationally agreed boundaries, dem no get capital and no army.

Sake of Israel military occupation for di West Bank, Palestinian authority, wey dem set up after peace agreements for di 1990s, dem no get full control of dia land or pipo. Gaza, wey Israel also na di occupying power, dey for di middle of a devastating war.

Sake of im status wey be like quasi-state, dia recognition dey somewhat symbolic. E go represent a strong moral and political statement but change little on di ground.

But di symbolism dey strong. As di former UK foreign secretary David Lammy tok during one speech for di UN for July: "Britain carry special burden of responsibility to support di two-state solution."

E go ahead to cite di 1917 Balfour Declaration – wey im predecessor sign as foreign secretary, Arthur Balfour – wey bin first express Britain support for "di establishment in Palestine a national home for di Jewish pipo".

But dat declaration, Lammy say, come wit solemn promise "say dem no go do anytin wey fit affect di civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities for Palestine".

Supporters of Israel don often point out say Lord Balfour no clearly refer to di Palestinians or say anytin about dia national rights.

But di territory wey dey known bifor as Palestine, wey Britain bin rule through a League of Nations mandate from 1922 to 1948, for long dey regarded as unfinished international business.

Israel come into being for 1948, but efforts to create a parallel state of Palestine no see di light of di day for plenti reasons.

As Lammy tok, politicians "don dey used to dey speak di words 'a two-state solution'".

Di phrase refer to di creation of a Palestinian state for di West Bank and Gaza Strip, broadly along di lines wey exist bifor 1967 Arab-Israeli war, wit East Jerusalem – wey Israel occupy since dat war – as dia capital.

But international efforts to bring about a two-state solution don result to notin and Israel colonisation of large parts of di West Bank, illegal under international law, don turn di concept into one big empty slogan.

Which kontris don recognise Palestine as a state and which kontri neva?

Around 75% of di UN 193 member states na dem currently recognise Palestine.

For di UN, dem get di status of a "permanent observer state", wey allow participation but no voting rights.

Wit di British and French recognition, Palestine go soon enjoy di support of four of di UN Security Council five permanent members.

China and Russia bin recognise Palestine for 1988.

E remain di US, Israel strongest ally by far, for inside minority of one.

Washington don recognise Palestinian Authority, wey Mahmoud Abbas currently dey head since dia formation for mid-1990s.

Since den, several presidents don express dia support for di eventual creation of a Palestinian state.

But Donald Trump no dey part of dem. Under im two administrations, US policy don lean heavily in favour of Israel.

Why UK plus oda kontris dey do am now?

British govments bin don tok about recognising a Palestinian state, but only as part of a peace process, ideally in conjunction wit oda Western allies and "for di moment of maximum impact".

To do am simply as a gesture, di govment believe say dat go be mistake. E fit make pipo feel good, but e no go actually change anytin on ground.

But events don clearly force di hands of several govments

Di picture of starvation for Gaza, rising anger over Israel military campaign plus major shifts for public opinion – all of dem play role in bringing us to dis point.

By co-ordinating dia actions, di kontris wey newly dey recognise di State of Palestine dey hope to make a bigger impact, help to organise thinking about how to end di war for Gaza and which kind of political process suppose follow.

US dey opposed

Trump administration no ever make am secret say dem dey against di recognition, as di US president imsef say im get "disagreement wit di prime minister on dat score" for one joint press conference on Thursday.

Di two leaders tok say dem discuss di issue though during dia one to one meeting.

In fact, e dey clear say US position don turn into outright opposition to di very concept of Palestinian independence.

For June, di current US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, say im tink say US no longer dey support di creation of a Palestinian state.

More recently, US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, tok say Hamas go "feel more encouraged" by di international push to recognise Palestine.

Im comments during one joint news conference wit Netanyahu on 15 September, bin echo Israeli argument say recognition na "reward for terrorism," afta di devastating Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023.

Rubio also say US don warn dos wey dey advocate for recognition say e fit provoke Israel into annexing di West Bank.

"We tell dem say e go lead to dis sorts of reciprocal actions and say e go make a ceasefire [for Gaza] dey harder," e tell tori pipo for di beginning of September.



British troops lower di Union Flag to officially end British rule for Palestine for 1948