UK
Palestinian embassy opens in London following UK recognition
New ambassador Husam Zomlot called for ‘immediate, concrete, and consequential measures’ to ‘halt the genocide’ during the opening ceremony
January 6, 2026 11:14
New ambassador Husam Zomlot called for ‘immediate, concrete, and consequential measures’ to ‘halt the genocide’ during the opening ceremony
January 6, 2026 11:14The first-ever Palestinian embassy opened in London on Monday, three months after the UK’s official recognition of a Palestinian state.
The building was opened with a ceremony in Hammersmith, West London, attended by new ambassador, Husam Zomlot – the longtime head of the Palestinian mission to the UK.
Britain has maintained relations with the Palestinian Authority and its predecessors since 1970, but the embassy marks the first extension of formal diplomatic ties.
Zomlot, who has been stationed in London since 2018, said: "We gather today to mark a historic moment, the inauguration of the embassy of the state of Palestine to the United Kingdom - with full diplomatic status and privileges, a symbol of our people's inalienable right for sovereign statehood and equality among nations.
"For generations of Palestinians in Gaza, in the occupied West Bank including east Jerusalem, in refugee camps and across the diaspora this embassy represents proof that our identity cannot be denied, our presence cannot be erased and our lives cannot be devalued.
"For a people denied self-determination for over a century, this is a monumental moment."
In separate comments on the embassy website, he added: “Recognition must now be followed by action. This foundational step must translate into immediate, concrete, and consequential measures to acknowledge and halt the genocide, end the occupation and the culture of impunity that sustains it, reverse the expansion of illegal settlements, and uphold international law.
"This includes the adoption of comprehensive sanctions, a full arms embargo, and accountability for those responsible for war crimes.”
“We thank the UK government for taking this significant step towards peace and justice.”
The opening ceremony also featured a speech from 14-year-old Gazan Obaidah, who claimed that he had "survived the genocide".
"Recognition doesn't ease the suffering and it does not heal every wound," he said, "but it gives us a voice, it gives the children like me a chance to live, to learn and the dream of a life where we can grow without fear, where families are safe and where all the children of Gaza, Jerusalem, the West Bank and Palestine can live with dignity and hope."
Israel and the US have both criticised the UK’s recognition of Palestine, made jointly with nations including France, Canada and Australia, claiming that it rewards terrorism and failed extract any concessions from Hamas.
After the prime minister’s recognition announcement in September, Ghazi Hamed, a member of Hamas' political bureau, said in an interview with Al Jazeera: "The initiative by several countries to recognise a Palestinian state is one of the fruits of October 7. We proved that victory over Israel is not impossible, and our weapons are a symbol of Palestinian dignity."
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