Current sectionHaaretz ExplainsShare to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeDisplaced Palestinian children wave the Palestinian flag in the central Gaza Strip, earlier this month. Credit: Eyad Baba/AFPA wave of Western states formally recognized the State of Palestine at the UN this week. Why now? What are the practical consequences? And how is Israel's government, and the Trump administration, responding?Rachel Finkand Liza RozovskySeptember 26, 2025Recognizing the State of Palestine is once again at the center of global diplomacy. Since Israel's war in Gaza began nearly two years ago, in the wake of the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel, a growing number of countries have formally granted recognition.Loading...Click the alert icon to follow topics:PalestiniansIsrael-Gaza WarIsrael settlementsWest BankGazaUnited NationsTwo-state solutionBenjamin NetanyahuCommentsLoading...In the NewsIn the News: Israel-Iran Live UpdatesEurovision 2026Iran7.10 Sexual ViolenceNetanyahu Haredi PoliticsIsrael ElectionsHaQuizHaaretz PodcastNYT Hits Back After Israel Threatens to Sue Over Column Alleging Sexual AbuseReleased Gaza Flotilla Leader: 'It's Your Responsibility to End the Genocide'Netanyahu the Altruist: U.S. Aid Talk Masks Israel's War Budget CrunchThe New York Times' Blood Libel Against IsraelIsrael Needs Leaders Who Can Find Opportunity Where Others See DangerRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIWhatsApp Co-founder Donates Record-breaking $200 Million to Jerusalem HospitalThe Hasidic Jews Behind Florida's Giant Golden Trump StatueLeaked Video of Arab Lawyer's Violent Arrest Contradicts Israel Police Account'A Slave Economy': Inside Israel's ultra-Orthodox Parallel StateIt Wasn't Just Revenge That Israel Was After in GazaIsraeli Artists Slam Venice Biennale Participation: 'Again, Israel as a Victim'