The United Kingdom has formally recognised a Palestinian state, a move Prime Minister Keir Starmer said was aimed at keeping alive the prospect of a two-state solution despite strong opposition from Israel and the United States. Starmer announced the decision on Sunday, aligning Britain with Canada and Australia in what appears to be a coordinated push by Commonwealth allies. The prime minister stressed that recognition was not a reward for Hamas, but a step towards reviving peace efforts. Britain once administered Palestine after World War I and was the author of the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which backed the creation of a Jewish homeland while also pledging to protect Palestinian rights. More than 140 countries already recognise Palestine, and France is among those expected to join them during the U.N. General Assembly this week, AP reported.