Palestine has officially inaugurated its embassy in Hammersmith, following the UK’s formal recognition of the State of Palestine in September 2025.

The Palestinian Embassy has officially opened in Hammersmith, west London, with Ambassador Husam Zomlot unveiling the building’s new plaque during an inauguration ceremony on Monday, 5 January 2026.

The move upgrades what was previously the Palestinian Mission to the UK to full embassy status, a shift that comes months after the UK formally recognised the State of Palestine in September 2025. British ministers framed the recognition as part of efforts to protect the viability of a two-state solution, as international pressure intensified around the conflict in Gaza and the wider region.

Husam Zomlot, Palestine’s ambassador to the UK, praised the decision to open the embassy, claiming the inauguration of the mission in London marks a vital step in the right direction for a Palestinian state. The new embassy’s flag-raising ceremony took place on 22 September and was attended by MPs, ambassadors and hundreds of members of the public.

Speaking at the embassy’s inauguration, Zomlot described the change as far more than a formal rebrand: “This is not merely a change of name, and the plaque we will unveil shortly represents far more than formality. It is a change of direction, reflecting the reality we are living today, a reality that unequivocally recognises, at long last, our inalienable right to sovereign statehood. 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.”

The opening also arrives amid heightened security concerns. In December 2025, Zomlot publicly called for greater protection after the embassy was vandalised by masked men, with the incident captured on security cameras, prompting fresh warnings about threats to staff and the premises.

GO: Visit https://palmissionuk.org for more information.