Britain will recognize the state of Palestine in September unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the "appalling situation" in Gaza and meets other conditions, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told his cabinet on Tuesday according to a government statement.
"He said that the UK will recognize the state of Palestine in September, before UNGA (United Nations General Assembly), unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, reaches a ceasefire, makes clear there will be no annexation in the West Bank, and commits to a long-term peace process that delivers a two-state solution," the statement said.
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UK PM Keir Starmer, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, against backdrop of Gaza
(Photos: Leo Correa, Brendan Smialoski/AFP, Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)
"He reiterated that there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas and that our demands on Hamas remain, that they must release all the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, accept that they will play no role in the government of Gaza, and disarm."
Starmer took the decision after recalling his cabinet during the summer holidays on Tuesday to discuss a new proposed peace plan being worked on with other European leaders and how to deliver more humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Successive British governments have said they will formally recognize a Palestinian state when the time is right, without ever setting a timetable or specifying the necessary conditions.
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With warnings people in Gaza are facing starvation, a growing numbers of lawmakers in Starmer's Labour Party have asking him to recognize a Palestinian state to put pressure on Israel.
Meanwhile, the “UN Conference for Advancing a Two-State Solution” opened Monday in New York, initiated by France and Saudi Arabia. UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated at the start of the two-day summit—held without Israeli or American participation—that the two-state solution is “further away than ever.” Amid mounting international criticism of Israel, Guterres declared that “the destruction of Gaza has unfolded before the eyes of the world” and that alongside “Israel’s threat to annex the West Bank,” these are the main obstacles to a resolution.
The conference, attended by dozens of countries, is co-chaired by the foreign ministers of France and Saudi Arabia. It was originally scheduled for late June but was postponed due to the war with Iran and shortened from its planned four-day duration.
Last weekend, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognize a Palestinian state in September, during the UN General Assembly. His declaration drew widespread condemnation from Israeli political leaders, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling it “a reward for terrorism.” The Palestinian Authority and Hamas, by contrast, welcomed the initiative and thanked Macron for his support.