UK Adds "Palestine" to Its Maps for the First Time

In a historic and unprecedented move, the UK government has updated its official website maps, replacing the term "Occupied Palestinian Territories" with "Palestine." This change, seen as an early indicator of the practical implications of recognition, has been implemented across several pages of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, including travel advice for Israel and Palestine, the list of diplomatic missions abroad, and official maps of the region.

This action follows the announcement by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the UK's formal recognition of the State of Palestine, a step that coincided with similar recognitions from Canada, Australia, and Portugal. In a press conference, Starmer stated that the decision aims to "preserve the possibility of peace and the two-state solution" amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. He emphasized that Hamas "cannot have a future, cannot have a role in government, cannot have a role in the security of any Palestinian state."

With this recognition, the UK becomes the third G7 nation to recognize a Palestinian state, after Canada and Australia. This move comes just one day before a major conference to be held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, where several more countries, led by France, are expected to announce their recognition of Palestine.