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As Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Britain's landmark decision to recognise the State of Palestine on Sunday, the small team in the Palestinian mission to the UK erupted in cheers of joy."This is a historic moment," beamed Palestinian envoy to the UK Husam Zomlot, watching the televised announcement at the mission in west London.Canada and Australia took the same step in a coordinated decision marking a pivotal shift in Western foreign policy, with Israel under increasing international pressure over its deadly war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip."This is a South Africa moment for Palestine," the head of the Palestinian Mission to the UK told AFP in the building, which will soon be designated as Palestine's embassy in Britain.He was referring to the end of South Africa's white apartheid government in the 1990s, which came after growing international pressure and isolation.Recognition was an "act of assurances to the Palestinian people that they hope for a better future and ... peace is possible".Zomlot was born in a refugee camp in Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip. "As a small boy from Rafah, this is all I was raised to know," he said, gesturing towards the television screen which flashed with breaking news headlines about the recognition of Palestinian statehood."Well done, that's a great moment," said Zomlot, embracing and congratulating his team, as AFP journalists in the room witnessed Starmer's announcement after a tense day of anticipation for the mission."It's been decades," joked one staff member, who wished to remain anonymous.The UK government had said in July it would recognise Palestinian statehood in September ahead of the annual UN General Assembly unless Israel took "substantive" steps, including reaching a ceasefire in Gaza."Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine," Starmer said in a video message posted around 2 pm local time (1300 GMT).While the recognition, which will be echoed by France, Belgium and other countries at the United Nations next week, is a largely symbolic move, Zomlot said he hoped it would be "actual, practical, actionable.""Recognition is not the destination. Recognition is merely the beginning, the first foundational step towards ... making sure that Britain takes its historic responsibility towards the Palestinian people," said the envoy.The UK's Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy told the UN in July it was "with the hand of history on our shoulders" that London planned to recognise Palestinian statehood, given Britain's pivotal role in creating the State of Israel through the 1917 Balfour Declaration.The decision is "not only about Palestine", said Zomlot. "It's also about Britain. It's about correcting historic injustice."The team will hold a ceremony to mark the announcement on Monday. A carefully folded Palestinian flag, which will be raised outside the building, sits patiently at the reception of the mission waiting to be unfurled.

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution on the participation of the State of Palestine in the high-level meetings of the Assembly next week. The resolution authorizes the State of Palestine to submit a pre-recorded statement to its President, which will be broadcast in the Assembly Hall during the general debate, after introduction by its representative present in the Hall.The resolution, which was adopted with 145 votes in favor, 5 against, and 6 abstentions, also authorizes the State of Palestine to deliver statements via videoconference or to deliver a pre-recorded statement at the sessions of the High-Level Conference on the Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Two-State Solution.Palestine is also permitted to submit pre-recorded statements by its President or another high-level representative at any high-level meeting, United Nations conference, or international meetings held under the auspices of the General Assembly, or as appropriate if representatives of the State of Palestine are prevented from participating in United Nations meetings.The resolution clarified that these measures are only in effect during the 80th session of the General Assembly, stressing the need to enable representatives of the State of Palestine to participate in person at relevant meetings at the United Nations in New York.The resolution expressed concern over instances in which representatives are prevented from participating in General Assembly meetings and regretted the decision of the US to deny visas to representatives of the State of Palestine and to revoke visas granted to them prior to the 80th session of the General Assembly, thus preventing them from participating in person at UN meetings.It called for an immediate reversal of this decision. In late August, the US announced that it had denied entry visas to senior Palestinian Authority officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, and had revoked existing visas, preventing them from attending the upcoming UN General Assembly meeting in New York.

The French presidency announced Friday that 10 countries, including France, will recognize the State of Palestine during a conference to be held in New York next Monday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings.French President Emmanuel Macron will deliver a speech at the conference, officially announcing the recognition of the Palestinian state.These countries are France, the United Kingdom (UK), Australia, Canada, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal, Malta, Andorra, and San Marino.On the other hand, the French presidency warned that the Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank is a "clear red line" and would be "the worst violation of international law."The French presidency said in a statement: "We, along with our partners, will demand immediate measures from Israel to ensure that the Palestinian Authority does not collapse," explaining that "the future borders of the Palestinian state are the 1967 borders."It added, "Our agenda is positive. It is not an agenda of responses and counter-responses. We are making an effort for peace." However, "annexing the West Bank is a clear red line" for France and would be "the worst possible violation of UN resolutions."The French presidency added, "The most important thing is to take all possible measures today to maintain the two-state solution. Of course, annexing the West Bank would be one of the steps that would most threaten this."

The regional workshop on the implementation of the law on regulating the right to access information concluded in Doha.It was organized by the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority (ACTA) in the State of Qatar, in cooperation with the Anti-Corruption Commission in the State of Palestine, which chaired the Fifth Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Arab Convention Against Corruption, with support from the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States.The three-day workshop brought together representatives from 15 Arab countries.The workshop concluded with a number of practical recommendations and proposals for joint Arab cooperation projects, aimed at enhancing the implementation of the law and supporting the development of a more integrated Arab framework in the areas of transparency and accountability.In her opening remarks, Director of the Control and Development Department of ACTA Amal Al Kuwari noted that organizing this event came in response to a recommendation from the seventh meeting of the Governmental Experts Committee of States Parties to the Arab Convention Against Corruption. She emphasized that it represents the result of fruitful cooperation between Qatar, Palestine, and the Arab League.Al Kuwari explained that the right to access information is no longer merely an administrative procedure, but a fundamental pillar of integrity and good governance, and an effective tool for building trust in public institutions and supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She noted that Qatar recognized the importance of this right early on, issuing Law No. (9) of 2022 regulating the right to access information, alongside awareness and training programs to support its implementation.The workshop aimed to exchange legislative and executive experiences in this field, review international principles and standards, and share best practices to develop national policies and strengthen the capacities of Arab countries. The Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Center in Qatar oversaw the training sessions throughout the workshop.

Luxembourg announced its intention to join the countries that will recognize the State of Palestine during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York next week. Arriving at an EU meeting in Brussels on Tuesday, Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel confirmed earlier remarks made by Prime Minister Luc Frieden, who had told members of the Grand Duchy's Foreign Affairs Committee in a closed meeting that his government was committed to a two-state solution. Frieden said his government was convinced that the two-state formula offered the only path to lasting peace in the region. He acknowledged that such peace would not be achieved overnight but described recognition of Palestine as a step demonstrating that the solution remained possible. He added that for this reason Luxembourg intended to join the states recognizing Palestine at next week's conference on the two-state solution. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed Luxembourg's plan, calling it a courageous position consistent with international law and UN resolutions and part of broader efforts to advance calm and peace on the basis of two states. Several other countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Australia, and Canada, have recently announced similar intentions to recognize Palestine during the General Assembly session, following a proposal drafted by France and Saudi Arabia. Last Friday, the UN General Assembly voted by an overwhelming majority to adopt the New York Declaration, which lays out concrete, time-bound, and irreversible steps toward implementing a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians ahead of the next session scheduled for Sep. 22. Out of the UN's 193 member states, at least 149 already recognize the Palestinian state declared by the Palestinian leadership in exile in 1988.

The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini announced that in the past four days alone, Israel has struck 10 UNRWA buildings in Gaza City, including seven schools and two clinics currently serving as shelters for thousands of displaced people.Lazzarini added in a post on UNRWA's X platform account that no place and no one is safe in Gaza City and its north, where the intensity of airstrikes is increasing, forcing more Palestinians to flee into the unknown.Commenting on the situation in Gaza City, he said, "We were forced to suspend healthcare at Al-Shati refugee camp, the only health care available north of Wadi Gaza. Our vital water and sanitation services are now only at half capacity."The UN official continued, "In the past four days alone, 10 UNRWA buildings have been targeted in Gaza City," calling for an immediate ceasefire.Days ago, Israel began a campaign of gradual destruction of high-rise residential buildings in Gaza City, forcing more families into displacement under harsh and dire conditions. Meanwhile, human rights organizations warn that the goal is to forcibly displace residents southward, as part of a broader plan to displace them outside the Gaza Strip.

HE the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi met on Tuesday with ambassador of the State of Palestine to Qatar Fayez Majed Abu al-Rub. The meeting discussed co-operation relations between the two countries. (QNA)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Tuesday condemned the brutal Israeli aggression against the State of Qatar.In a statement, President Abbas said that the brutal Israeli aggression against the State of Qatar constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and an escalation that threatens regional security and stability, stressing the importance of an immediate halt to this escalation.He warned that a continuation of the escalation would have consequences not only for the region but for the entire world, emphasizing that the solution lies in a just and comprehensive peace for the Palestinian cause.

Saudi Arabia's Permanent Representative to the UN, ambassador Abdulaziz al-Wasil, presented an oral draft resolution during Saturday's session of the UN General Assembly on behalf of Saudi Arabia and France.The resolution pertained to the resumption of the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution. It was adopted by consensus without a vote.Ambassador al-Wasil reaffirmed the shared commitment of Saudi Arabia and France to upholding international law and implementing relevant UN resolutions, highlighting that the key objectives of the conference include the protection of international legitimacy and taking practical steps toward achieving lasting peace in the Middle East region.On July 28, 2025, the aforementioned conference kicked off at the headquarters of the UN General Assembly in New York, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France.It primarily aimed to bring the occupation to an end and to support the establishment of a sovereign and independent Palestinian state.

Qatar welcomed the announcement by Belgium of its intention to recognise the State of Palestine during the United Nations General Assembly meetings this month. In a statement Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that the step represents significant support for the legitimate rights of the brotherly Palestinian people and embodies the international community's consensus on the need to end the Israeli occupation and enable the Palestinian people to exercise self-determination and establish their independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.The ministry also considered this announcement a positive development consistent with international legitimacy and relevant Security Council resolutions, and contributing to enhancing the chances of achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the region. It reiterated Qatar's call for all countries that have not yet recognised the State of Palestine to take similar steps that reflect a commitment to international law and support the historical and inalienable rights of the brotherly Palestinian people on their land.

Fifteen Palestinians were martyred and others injured on Saturday in an Israeli occupation airstrike targeting displaced persons' tents in Al-Nasr and Al-Zaytoun neighborhoods in Gaza City.Local sources reported that Israeli occupation warplanes bombed tents for the displaced near the Youth and Sports Roundabout in Al-Nasr neighborhood, killing 11 people and injuring others. Four more people were martyred and others wounded in a separate strike on Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of the city.The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced yesterday that the death toll from the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, had risen to 63,025 martyrs, with 159,159 injured.

The United Nations expressed hope that the United States will lift its ban on Palestinian representatives attending the UN General Assembly session scheduled for next month.UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said during a press briefing that it is important for all member states and permanent observers to be represented in the Assembly's work, particularly as France and Saudi Arabia are preparing to host a meeting on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He added that the UN hopes the issue of visas for the Palestinian delegation will be resolved so they can participate.He noted that the matter will be discussed with the US State Department under the terms of the UN Headquarters Agreement, noting that the UN's position is that all diplomats and delegates entitled to attend should be able to travel freely to New York.These remarks came only hours after the US State Department announced the cancellation of visas for members of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Palestinian Authority officials, preventing them from entering the United States to attend the General Assembly.This decision comes despite the Headquarters Agreement between the UN and the United States, which states that US security agencies are not permitted to operate inside the UN compound in Manhattan and that UN members have the right to travel freely through the US to the UN headquarters.