LONDON

Britain will formally recognize a Palestinian state this weekend after US President Donald Trump concludes his state visit, The i Paper reported Wednesday, citing government sources.

In July, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK will recognize Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly in New York in September unless Israel takes "substantive steps" to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza and agree to a ceasefire.

The reason for delaying the announcement until after Trump departs from the UK is because it “could have risked deepening tensions with Washington, after Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered strong backing for Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza,” the report said.

The prime minister’s spokesman said the recognition was designed to protect the viability of a two-state solution.

"Statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people, and it is absolutely critical in protecting the viability of a two-state solution that we make clear that inalienable right," he added.

Last year, Ireland, Norway and Spain joined a list of 147 countries that now officially recognize Palestine.

France also announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state during the UN General Assembly, becoming the first member state of the G7, an informal forum of the seven leading industrialized nations and democracies, to do so.