Over 150 Nations Now Recognize State of Palestine, Despite Israeli Opposition
JERUSALEM/UNITED NATIONS – As of September 2025, more than 150 countries worldwide have formally recognized the State of Palestine, a move increasingly met with condemnation from Israeli officials who argue such recognition “rewards terrorism.” The recent wave of recognitions, including a recent acknowledgement by the UK, has sparked a strong reaction from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who stated a Palestinian state “will not happen” and labelled recognition a “prize” for Hamas.
“I have a clear message to those leaders who are recognizing a Palestinian state after the horrendous October 7 massacre: You are rewarding terror with an enormous prize,” Netanyahu said in a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter) on September 21, 2025.
The growing international recognition stands in contrast to obstacles at the United Nations, where the United States has repeatedly vetoed resolutions seeking full Palestinian membership.
A History of Recognition & UN Hurdles
The initial declarations of Palestinian statehood date back to November 15,1988,when Yasser Arafat,chairman of the Palestine Liberation Association (PLO),proclaimed the establishment of an autonomous State of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital. Following this declaration, over 80 countries, primarily from the Global South - encompassing nations in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Arab world – extended recognition. A number of European states within the former Soviet bloc also recognized Palestine at that time.
the 1993 Oslo Accords represented the first direct negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis, outlining a vision for a two-state solution. However, this outcome has yet to be realized.
In 2012, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) overwhelmingly voted to upgrade Palestine’s status to a “non-member observer state,” with 138 votes in favour, 9 against, and 41 abstentions. This status allows Palestine to participate in UN meetings and debates, but does not grant voting rights on resolutions.
Despite broad international support, the United States, one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) – alongside Russia, China, France, and the UK – vetoed a resolution on April 18, 2024, that would have granted Palestine full UN membership. The US holds veto power, a privilege granted to the major victors of World War II in 1945, allowing it to block resolutions nonetheless of wider international backing.
The US has a long-standing record of vetoing UNSC resolutions critical of Israel, having done so at least 50 times since joining the UN, often preventing measures addressing Israeli military actions, illegal settlements, or the occupation of Palestinian land from being adopted.
(Al Jazeera)
(Al Jazeera)
