Israel not listening to UK, say MPs, as they urge recognition of Palestine
Israel is not listening to the UK and ministers should “immediately” recognise the state of Palestine, a cross-party committee of MPs has said.
The UK’s actions over the ongoing conflict and “in the years preceding, have often been too little, too late,” the Foreign Affairs Committee has said, as they called for further sanctions “against settlers”.
The Prime Minister is facing increasing pressure to fulfil Labour’s promise to recognise Palestine as the conflict in Gaza continues.
Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan is among those who have called for the move.
‘Too little too late’
A “majority” of MPs on the committee have also backed it, according to the chairwoman, Dame Emily Thornberry.
“The UK’s actions in this conflict, and in the years preceding, have often been too little too late,” the committee said.
In their report the MPs said that “some of Israel’s recent actions in Gaza are difficult to justify given the death toll among civilians” and pressure should be put on Tel Aviv “for this conflict to end and for hostages to be released”.
“It seems that the Israeli government is not listening to the UK. And while it listens to the US government, it only does so sporadically,” they said.
“If Israel does not listen to its friends and allies, and only sporadically to the US, then pressure must be exerted for this conflict to end and hostages to be released.”
‘Despair’
Chairwoman of the committee Dame Emily Thornberry has said that the Government “must not shrug our shoulders in despair and say that there is nothing we can do”.
She called on minsters to “immediately extend sanctions against settlers” and said that the UK “must also play our part in evidence collection, which will be vital to the inevitable legal reckoning when this conflict finally comes to an end”.
She said that the UK “must be realistic about our role” and “our greatest power is in our alliances”.
“Whether that is persuading the US to have an influence on Israel to come to a ceasefire, or with nations in the region whose support will be vital to a long-term two-state solution.”
She added: “It is the view of the majority of the committee that the UK Government should immediately recognise the state of Palestine, signalling the UK’s desire to work urgently towards a two-state solution alongside our allies.”
It comes as there are increasing warnings of starvation in Gaza. On Thursday the BBC joined other news organisations in saying that they are “deeply alarmed” that journalists are facing “the threat of starvation”.
On Thursday, a Cabinet minister said the Government is “deeply committed” to recognising a Palestinian state.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said such a move would have to be meaningful and come as part of a “genuine move towards a two-state solution and a long-term peace settlement” with Israel.
Mr Reynolds told LBC Radio: “We are deeply committed to the recognition of Palestine as a state, which was part of our manifesto, but obviously we want that to be meaningful.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
When our beloved politicians start to condemn the genocide in Palestine, them there will be positive movement. Words like what Sir Khan used yesterday “horrific senseless killing” are alluding to this condemnation of genocide.
Full international recognition of Palestine and Israel should be contingent on each other. Saudi has already agreed to recognise Israel once Palestine is a state. The rest need to fall into line because the world can’t demand Israel behaves as a legitimate state without recognising it as such.
So until that happens genocide in Gaza is ok with you?
Don’t you want this solved?
Have you changed your name? We seem to be having this same conversation again . It doesn’t matter, I will just copy and paste the last responses. He asked you specifically if it is okay the genocide continues. It’s a yes/no answer rather than deflecting to another question. To your question, the answer is yes, please, solve the issue in the promised land and stop this despicable, deplorable genocide and murdering of children.
You seem to support the isrealis and their genocide in every one of your posts.
Yes id like it resolved but not at the expense of Palestinians losing so much.
I’ve argued for Palestine to be recognised as a state and you’ve disagreed. Which side are you really on?
I have asked you to condemn the genocide in Palestine and you have refused. The world can see whose side you are on.
Why would someone try to shut down a thread about achieving statehood for Palestine with a diversionary post about genocide?
Why then do the Palestinians need their own land? What is wrong with sharing the promised land?
It can be shared by two states. After eighty years of trying to share it as a single state it’s time to try something else.
Admitting that the zionist government has been committing genocide on the Palestinians shows concern for the survivors and that you will ensure they get a fair deal. The fact that you can’t even acknowledge their suffering tells me that you in fact believe they deserve it.
I condemn all innocent deaths but the responsibility must be jointly and equally laid at the feet of those pulling the trigger and those that helped create the situation where the trigger was able to be pulled. That includes everyone who’s refused and continues to refuse to recognise Israel as a legitimate state.
That would be the well armed settlers throwing out Palestinians from their homes in West Bank in June 2023 and the IDF destroying most of Jenin in July 2023.
Which is only happening because eight decades later Palestinians are still seen as a security threat. Of course the majority are harmless but a minority are dangerous thanks to external support which is enough to enable the extremists to take the action they do. This cycle has been happening for decades because of the actions of states and others that continue to refuse to accept the decision of the UN.
So it is justified to indiscriminately murder the majority of semetic Palestinians to catch a few bad eggs? And the well armed settlers went into West Bank to remove the Palestinians from the homes because they were Palestinians and they tacitly supported the bad eggs? That is your defence? And you still wish to support the evils committed by the current zionist government?
Why would I support or defend anything a government I’ve labeled as “right-wing extremists” does or allows to happen?
And why ignore the question. If a post about achieving Palestinian statehood – which most now seem to agree is necessary – is responding to by a post changing the subject to genocide then the topic never returns to achieving statehood, which is stalled as a result. Why do that? Why try and stop it if that’s a necessary route to peace?
Because you refuse to condemn the government. Therefore you support them and their evil crimes.
It’s interesting you don’t ask why someone might not want to solve it.
Because the wicked zionist government with a nuclear arsenal and enough munition to blow up half of humanity is hell bent on destroying an entire semitic Palestinians population and stealing their land while those lands have been well demarcated by the UN from 1947. There is no solution while the ungodly people in charge of the zionist government remain.
If you want Palestine to be recognised as a state by everyone including Israel there needs to be quid pro quo. If all remaining UN members will follow Saudi and recognise Israel in return for a Palestinian state that puts pressure on Israel and others to accept Palestine as a state. That’s why the two should be contingent on each other, not to delay things further but to speed up progress. Because everyone will support full recognition of one if not both states, and they will be the barrier to achieving what they want if they don’t support both.
Some people just devoid of any ability to connect with the suffering of certain people of a particular race, religion and colour.
Valid point.
So you also agree with Bryan that until then, the murder of Palestinians children and the genocide in Ghazza is acceptable?
The pictures of hunger coming out of gaza, look like the death camps of ww2. There will never be a Palestinian state again, the leaders of the UK government are very weak and have no hands to play due to the military being so small and ill equipped. Its only America, China and maybe Germany has enough sway over Israel. Israel will never allow them a state, their whole ideology is based on taking the land the romans booted them from back from the arabs. Truth is many Palestinians are egyptians romans greeks and jews mixed together with some arab… Read more »
Very hard as there’s never been a Palestinian state before so it’s a legal minefield. I’m sure this is what Keir is thinking as I does love the legal technicalities. Worth a go but Israel won’t recognise it, Hamas won’t withdraw their pledge to wipe Israel off the map and so we go round in circles while the horrors of Gaza continue, the hostages remain captive in the tunnels etc. I don’t think there is a solution. A UN force sent to Gaza could help but it would just be vetoed by the US etc
So far, the only real evil that is wiping a whole population of Palestinians off the map is the zionist government and its military.
The UK government should apply the same level of sanctions on Israel as they have on Russia.
Israel not listening to the UK – there’s a surprise! Unless you have clout you won’t be listened to. What pressure could the UK put on Israel on it’s own? Practically nothing. To have the same clout as the US or China the UK, or an independent Cymru, needs to be part of the EU.