UK will recognise Palestine in September unless Israel ‘takes steps’ over Gaza
The UK will recognise the state of Palestine “in September” unless Israel takes “substantive steps” to end the “appalling situation in Gaza”, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
The Prime Minister recalled his senior team of ministers from their summer recess to discuss the situation in Gaza, where the population is facing a mounting famine, according to warnings from the United Nations.
A readout of the Cabinet meeting issued by Downing Street said Sir Keir told ministers “now was the right time to move this position” on the two-state solution.
‘Intolerable’
The read out continued: “He said that because of the increasingly intolerable situation in Gaza and the diminishing prospect of a peace process towards a two-state solution, now was the right time to move this position forward.
“He said that the UK will recognise the state of Palestine in September, before UNGA (UN 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.”
It comes after the Prime Minister had been under increasing pressure to recognise Palestine amid the warnings of starvation in Gaza.
Speaking from Downing Street’s state dining room, the Prime Minister then told reporters that the Government will “make an assessment in September on how far the parties have met these steps”.
No should “should have a veto over our decision”, Sir Keir insisted.
Aid
The UK will keep working with its allies to “end the suffering, get aid flooding into Gaza and deliver a more stable future for the Middle East”, Sir Keir said, adding: “Because I know that is what the British people desperately want to see.”
In a hardening of his language about the crisis in Gaza, the Prime Minister has claimed the British public is “revolted” by scenes of starvation in the territory.
The UK and its allies need to see “at least 500 trucks entering Gaza every day” to deliver aid, the Prime Minister added.
Responding to the announcement, Plaid Cymru Westminster leader, Liz Saville Roberts MP said: “Recognition of a Palestinian state should not be conditional on the actions of the Israeli government. The right to self-determination belongs to the Palestinian people, not to an occupying power.
“Plaid Cymru calls for immediate recognition of Palestine, alongside the release of all hostages, a ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian aid into Gaza, and genuine progress towards lasting peace.”
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All praise to Allah, this is a colossal declaration by our Sir Kier. May Allah bless him and his cabinet.
A pathetic stance by the UK Government, Palestine should be recognised as a state now. The problem is that too many Labour politicians are longstanding members of Labour Friends of Israel. For example the Rhondda Labour MP has been a member of Labour Friends of Israel for many years, only comparatively recently trying to cover his tracks by becoming a member of Labour Friends of Palestine. People from the valleys fought against fascists in the Spanish Civil War, now our Labour MPs are too spineless to recognise Palestine as a state – shame on them, they are a stain on… Read more »
This is a big step for the PM. Look at who surrounds him. The aggressive attack on him in the Daily Mail from Kemi Badenoch, fron the zionist government and considering what Trump’s default position is.
Someone needs to give Keir Starmer a fiver, tell him to pop down to his local butcher and buy himself some guts!
Allah willing, that will happen soon.
Don’t forget the Pontypridd MP who takes trips to Israel and got people arrested for asking questions. Labour iis devious
The Montevideo Convention of 1933 set out the four conditions that must be satisfied for a person to qualify as a State in international law. Palestine today only meets one of them.
Allah willing, they will meet the remaining 3 conditions shortly. Once the evil zionist government takes a breath and stops blowing them up to smithereens.
They was already a state/country before the crimes of 1948. Palestine is on my local war memorial, its a real place and always has been
Well said Liz
Disgusting, stop them now. All innocent life is special. And get the Israeli government in custody. UN taskforce needed, this genocide must stop