On November 15, 1988, Palestine declared its independence. Since then, the world has witnessed a growing wave of diplomatic support that continues to expand today. While in the late 1980s recognition primarily came from Asian, African, and Middle Eastern countries, four decades later, an increasing number of nations in Europe and Latin America have also affirmed their recognition.
As of August 2025, 147 out of 193 UN member states have officially recognized Palestine. This makes Palestine one of the entities with the broadest diplomatic recognition outside the framework of full UN membership.
The First Wave: 1988
The 1988 declaration was followed by massive recognition, especially from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
Arab & Middle East (15 countries):
Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Somalia, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Jordan
Asia (13 countries):
Indonesia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brunei, China, India, North Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam
Africa (14 countries):
Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Europe & the Americas (10 countries):
Albania, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Russia (Soviet Union), Romania, Serbia
1989–2009: Continued Support
- 1989 – Iran, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Vanuatu, Philippines
- 1991 – Eswatini (Swaziland)
- 1992 – Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan
- 1994 – Papua New Guinea, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
- 1995 – South Africa, Kyrgyzstan
- 1998 – Malawi
- 2004 – Timor Leste
- 2005 – Paraguay
- 2006 – Montenegro
- 2008 – Costa Rica, Lebanon
- 2009 – Venezuela, Dominican Republic
2010–2023: The Latin American & European Wave
- 2010 – Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Brazil
- 2011 – Belize, Chile, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Iceland, Lesotho, Liberia, Peru, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Uruguay
- 2013 – Guatemala, Haiti, Vatican
- 2014 – Sweden
- 2015 – Saint Lucia
- 2018 – Colombia
- 2019 – Saint Kitts & Nevis
2024–2025: A New Diplomatic Chapter
The past two years marked a historic moment: recognition came not only from Europe but also from the Caribbean and North America.
- 2024 – Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Bahamas, Spain, Ireland, Norway, Slovenia, Armenia
- 2025 – Mexico
Countries Plans to Recognize (September 2025 & Beyond)
The next wave is expected at the UN General Assembly in September 2025. Several major countries have already declared their intention to recognize Palestine at that time, including:
- France
- United Kingdom
- Canada
- Australia
- Malta
- Luxembourg
- San Marino (late 2025)
- Portugal (under consideration)
- New Zealand (still under review)
If all plans proceed as expected, the number of countries recognizing Palestine could rise to more than 150 before the end of 2025.
Countries Currently Refusing Recognition
On the other hand, several major countries continue to delay or reject recognition. Germany, for example, has explicitly stated it will not join the new wave of recognition.
According to Reuters, Chancellor Friedrich Merz stressed that his government does not yet see the right conditions to take such a step:
“We will not join this initiative. We don’t see the requirements met,” Merz said at a joint news conference with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, as reported by Reuters.
Meanwhile, the United States continues to maintain its longstanding position alongside Italy, Japan, and South Korea. None of these countries have shown signs of changing their policies in the near future.
