Western powers recognise Palestinian state, drawing Israeli fury

Britain, Australia, Canada and Portugal recognised the State of Palestine on Sunday, a historic shift in decades of Western foreign policy that drew swift anger from Israel and a rebuke from the United States. Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip welcomed the recognition as a victory, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed in response that a Palestinian state would never exist. The United States also criticised the the moves as "performative" and said it was focused on finding a diplomatic solution to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Other countries, including France, are also due to recognise a Palestinian state during key talks at the annual UN General Assembly opening on Monday in New York. Israel has come under huge international pressure...