Luxembourg to recognize Palestine following UK, France, Australia, and Canada; Palestine welcomes move

Palestine on Tuesday welcomed Luxembourg’s announcement that it intends to recognize Palestinian statehood, urging other countries to follow suit.

In a statement, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry praised Prime Minister Luc Frieden and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel for what it called “a courageous stance that upholds international law and supports peace efforts based on a two-state solution.” The ministry called on nations that have not yet recognized Palestine to act, noting that such moves would strengthen global consensus on ending the war and promoting peace.

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Luxembourg’s pledge follows similar indications from the UK, France, Australia, and Canada, all of which have suggested plans to recognize Palestine during this month’s UN General Assembly session.

Palestine is already recognized by at least 149 of the UN’s 193 member states, following its declaration of statehood in exile in 1988.

The renewed push for recognition comes as Gaza faces one of the deadliest conflicts in modern history. Since October 2023, nearly 65,000 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed by Israeli military actions. Continuous bombardment has left the enclave uninhabitable, triggering famine and the spread of disease.

Hours after Luxembourg announced its intention to recognize the State of Palestine, a United Nations commission of enquiry described the situation in Gaza as genocide. Prime Minister Luc Frieden and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel informed a parliamentary commission of the move on Monday.

According to local media, a final decision on recognition is expected later this month at the UN General Assembly in New York, in coordination with several other countries, including France and Belgium.

Luxembourg’s government had spent months in hesitation before taking this bold step, amid growing calls from European leaders to end Israel’s war in Gaza, launched after the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack.

European Commission Executive Vice President Teresa Ribera has described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide. Last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU executive would adopt a tougher stance toward Israel, pausing payments and sanctioning what she called “extremist ministers” and violent settlers.

On Friday, the UN General Assembly voted to endorse a declaration outlining “tangible, time-bound, and irreversible steps” toward a two-state solution in the region, ahead of its upcoming meeting on 22 September.