Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal formally declared their recognition of a Palestinian state on Sunday ahead of the United Nations General Assembly. This is Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer: “Today, to revive the hope of peace and a two-state solution, I state clearly, as prime minister of this great country, that the United Kingdom formally recognizes the state of Palestine.”

France and several other countries are expected to recognize Palestine this week, joining the more than 140 countries that now recognize a Palestinian state. Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Kingdom, spoke on Sunday.

Husam Zomlot: “We realize that the recognition itself will not stop the wheels of colonization and theft of land and oppression of our people. But the question is never 'Why should the U.K. and the rest of the world recognize the state of Palestine?' The question is why the U.K. has not recognized the state of Palestine until now. And the answer is where we are today. Because of the lack of this recognition, because of the lack of this foundational step, things have been left to fester all the way to genocide being committed in full view of the world.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the developments by saying that a Palestinian state “will not happen.” Several members of the Israeli government also called for Israel to annex the occupied West Bank. We will have more on this story later in the program.