A map showing countries that recognize a Palestinian state and those that plan to
Nearly 150 of the 193 members of the United Nations have already recognized Palestinian statehood, most of them decades ago. The United States and other Western powers have held off, saying Palestinian statehood should be part of a final agreement resolving the decades-old Middle East conflict.
This week's announcements were largely symbolic and rejected by Israel, whose current government is opposed to Palestinian statehood.
A two-state solution in which a state of Palestine would be created alongside Israel in most or all of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem — territories Israel seized in the 1967 Mideast war — is still seen internationally as the only way to resolve the conflict.
The Associated Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
UK and France to ratify 'one in, one out' migrant returns deal
LONDON (Reuters) -Britain said it would begin implementing a deal to return migrants who arrive on small boats to France within days after a treaty on the arrangement - a key part of British plans to cut illegal migration - is ratified on Tuesday. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron announced the "one in, one out" pilot scheme on migrant returns last month. Under the new deal, France has agreed to accept the return of undocumented people arriving in Britain by small boats, in exchange for Britain agreeing to accept an equal number of legitimate asylum seekers with British family connections. A treaty on the scheme was signed last week but not previously announced ahead of Tuesday's ratification. Britain said the European Commission and EU member states had given the green light to the plan. Starmer, whose popularity has fallen since winning an election landslide last year, is facing pressure to stop small boat arrivals from the populist Reform UK party, led by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage. Britain's interior ministry said it expected detentions to begin within days. "This is an important step towards undermining the business model of the organised crime gangs that are behind these crossings," British interior minister Yvette Cooper said. Under the agreement with France, government sources previously said they were looking at about 50 returns a week, or 2,600 a year, a fraction of the more than 35,000 arrivals reported last year, though the scheme could be scaled up. More than 25,000 people have arrived on small boats so far in 2025, and the government has targeted people smugglers with sanctions, clamped down on social media adverts and is working with delivery firms to tackle the illegal work that is often promised to migrants.
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
UK-French small boats pilot plan comes into force
The UK-French "one-in, one-out" pilot scheme, aimed at reducing the number of small boats crossing the Channel, has come into force with detentions of illegal migrants due to start within days. The deal will see some of those arriving in the UK in small boats detained and returned to France. In exchange the UK will accept from France an equal number of asylum seekers provided they have not already tried to make the crossing and can pass security and eligibility checks. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the plan was a "product of months of grown-up diplomacy" which would "deliver real results". But the Conservatives said it would "make no difference whatsoever". Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron announced the agreement in July, but it was still subject to legal scrutiny by the European Commission and EU member states. The UK government has now said that the "EU Commission, Germany and other member states have given the green light on this innovative approach" meaning the scheme can go ahead. Under the plan, an adult migrant who tries to get to the UK by crossing the Channel could be returned to France if their claim for asylum is deemed to be inadmissible. How many people cross the Channel in small boats? 'One in, one out' sounds simple - but the migrant deal could be complicated Extra 300 officers to tackle small boat people smuggling The government has not confirmed how many migrants would be returned and accepted under the plan, but said it would look to "ramp up both the pace and scale of returns over the course of the pilot scheme". There have been reports that 50 people per week could be returned, compared to the weekly average of more than 800 people currently making the crossing. Sir Keir has previously said the pilot is not "a silver bullet" but believes it will deter people from making the dangerous journey following a big increase in the numbers so far this year. As of 30 July, more than 25,000 people had crossed the Channel in small boats in 2025 - around 49% higher than at the same point in 2024. The government is under pressure to reduce the numbers, having previously promised to "smash the gangs" organising the journeys. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper hailed the agreement as "ground breaking" and an "important step towards undermining the business model of the organised crime gangs". "It is also right to make clear that – while the UK will always be ready to play its part alongside other countries in helping those fleeing persecution and conflict – this must be done in a controlled and managed legal way, not through dangerous, illegal, and uncontrolled routes," she said. On Monday, the government announced £100m to fund 300 National Crime Agency Officers to stop the people smugglers arranging the crossings. It has also said it wants to tackle illegal working, to reduce pull factors encouraging people to come to the UK. Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the government's deal with the French would be less effective than the Rwanda plan, proposed by the previous Conservative government. "The Rwanda removals deterrent, under which 100% of illegal arrivals would be removed, was ready to go last summer but Labour cancelled it just days before it was due to start with no proper replacement plan," he said. "As a result, this year so far has been the worst ever for illegal immigrants crossing the Channel." When the UK and France first announced the plan in July, the charity Asylum Matters criticised the measure, arguing: "The only way to stop people from making dangerous journeys is to give them real safe routes to seek sanctuary."
Associated Press
31 minutes ago
- Associated Press
France and Saudis vow to keep up momentum for 'two-state solution' to Israel-Palestinian conflict
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — After decades of inaction and frozen negotiations, the issue of an independent Palestinian state living in peace with Israel returned to the spotlight at a high-level U.N. conference — and France and Saudi Arabia, which spearheaded the effort, are determined to keep up the momentum. But hurdles for a two-state solution that would see Israel living side-by-side with an independent Palestine are very high. War in Gaza — a crucial part of a hoped-for Palestinian state — drags on with escalating violence in the West Bank, the other main component. And Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing government vehemently oppose an independent Palestinian state, which the Israeli leader says would be a reward for terrorism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attacks against his country. Nonetheless, after eight decades of conflict between Israel and Palestinians, pressure is growing for a two-state solution, as last week's high-level U.N. conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia demonstrated — even if it was boycotted by Israel and its close ally, the United States. The conference illustrated that many believe a political solution is possible The French U.N. ambassador, Jerome Bonnafont, conceded in an Associated Press interview that without a Gaza ceasefire and massive humanitarian aid for over 2 million Palestinians sliding toward famine, 'it will be extremely difficult to move forward to define a new way of administering Gaza as part of Palestine' – and he said these are priority issues. But the conference demonstrated that a majority of the U.N.'s 193 member nations are 'convinced that there is a possibility of a political solution,' he said, and that is 'what its follow-up will continue to promote.' About 160 of the U.N.'s 193 member nations participated, 125 spoke in support of a two-state solution (forcing the meeting into an unexpected third day), and between 40 and 50 were represented by a government minister. An independent state of Palestine is recognized by over 145 countries, and the meeting sparked new pledges of recognition by three of the seven members of the powerful Group of Seven — France, United Kingdom and Canada — as well as Malta. A statement by seven others, including Australia, New Zealand, Finland and Portugal, expressed 'positive consideration' of following suit. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farham are determined not to let the spotlight fade. They are planning 'an event' during the annual gathering of world leaders at the General Assembly, which starts Sept. 23, when the new pledges are expected to be officially announced. The conference was notable for being co-chaired by an Arab and Western nation, and for setting up eight working groups with diverse chairs to make proposals on key issues for a two state solution — security for Israel and an independent Palestine, political reforms, legal problems, humanitarian assistance, economic development and Gaza reconstruction, to name some. The result was a seven-page 'New York Declaration.' The French and Saudi foreign ministers sent the declaration, with a lengthy annex of recommendations from the working groups, to all 193 U.N. members and asked them to endorse it by early September, before the world leaders' gathering. The declaration, which also was endorsed by the European Union and Arab League, urges Israel to commit to a Palestinian state, and urges further recognitions as 'an essential and indispensable component of the achievement of the two-state solution.' The declaration contains some stronger language For the first time, the Arab League's 22 member nations condemned 'the attacks committed by Hamas against civilians' in southern Israel on Oct. 7, and agree that 'Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority.' It sets out a plan to then move to an independent, demilitarized Palestine, including deployment of a U.N. Security Council-mandated 'temporary international stabilization mission' supported by the Palestinian Authority. It would protect civilians, help build support for a Palestinian state and its security forces, and provide 'security guarantees for Palestine and Israel.' Richard Gowan, the International Crisis Group's U.N. director, gave French President Emmanuel Macron credit 'for raising the level of ambition for the conference,' and helping make it 'more symbolically significant than many diplomats expected.' The meeting gave weighty states including France, Britain and Canada the opportunity 'to signal their discontent with Israeli policy,' he said, and it gave Palestinians seeking a peaceful road to statehood 'some political ammunition.' Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who hosted a Hamas delegation in Istanbul last week to discuss Gaza's humanitarian crisis and stalled ceasefire talks, noted growing global support for the Palestinians and a Palestinian state — and Israel's increasing isolation. Bonnafont, the French ambassador, had messages for Israel's opponents and Israelis seeking more territory. 'We say to those who are hostile to Israel, the way to peace is certainly not to deny the right of existence to Israel. This is the way to perpetual war,' Bonnafont said. 'And the real way to defend the Palestinians is to give them a state, and the only way to give them a state is a two-state solution — and we have demonstrated concretely that this solution exists and is feasible.'
