Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas hailed the recognitions as "an important and necessary step toward achieving a just and lasting peace". Britain, Australia and Canada on Sunday recognised a Palestinian state in a coordinated, historic shift in decades of Western foreign policy, triggering swift anger from Israel. Portugal was also set to recognise Palestinian statehood later Sunday, with other countries, including France, due to follow on Monday at the annual UN General Assembly opening in New York. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas hailed the recognitions as “an important and necessary step toward achieving a just and lasting peace”. A poll released by YouGov on Friday showed two-thirds of British people aged 18-25 supported Palestinian statehood.