Palestinian Embassy Officially Inaugurated in London

The Palestinian embassy in London was officially inaugurated on Monday, marking a significant diplomatic milestone following the UK’s recognition of a Palestinian state in September.

Palestinian ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot, unveiled the official plaque reading “Embassy of the State of Palestine” during a small ceremony attended by senior British officials, representatives from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, and members of the British-Palestinian community.

Wearing a traditional keffiyeh, Zomlot described the opening as a historic moment for Palestinians in Britain and for UK-Palestinian relations.

“For a people denied self-determination for over a century, this is a monumental moment,” Zomlot said. “Today, the Palestinian community in Britain has a home away from home – a piece of Palestine on British soil.”

The embassy building, located in west London, previously operated as the Palestinian Mission to the UK. Its formal elevation to embassy status follows the UK government’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state earlier this year.

Zomlot said the inauguration represented a profound milestone in “British-Palestinian relations” and reaffirmed the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to a “just and lasting peace based on international law.”

He added that such a peace would require an end to Israel’s military presence in the occupied West Bank and the fulfilment of “the rights of Palestinian refugees.”

UK diplomatic representative Alistair Harrison welcomed the opening, describing it as a “moment of hope” and “the beginning of a step change in our bilateral relationship.”

The UK currently maintains a consulate in Jerusalem to oversee diplomatic relations with the West Bank and Gaza. It remains unclear whether London plans to establish a full embassy in the Palestinian territories.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer formally recognised a Palestinian state in September, a move later followed by countries including Australia and Canada. Starmer said at the time that the decision was intended to preserve the prospect of a viable Palestinian state and keep the two-state solution alive amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and hostage crisis.

Western leaders echoed calls for a renewed peace framework, which was expected to include reform of the Palestinian Authority, a ceasefire in Gaza, and the resumption of negotiations toward a two-state solution. However, no immediate diplomatic initiative followed the recognition, and a ceasefire and hostage deal was eventually brokered in October by US President Donald Trump.