If Israel doesn’t put up “substantive steps” to end its war on Gaza and commits to a lasting peace process, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told his cabinet.
If Israel doesn’t agree to a ceasefire, halts plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, and supports a political path to a two-state solution, Starmer said in a statement released after an emergency cabinet meeting on Tuesday that the move might be presented to the UN General Assembly in New York.
Starmer further stated that there is no equality between Israel and Hamas and that they must continue to press for a ceasefire, release all hostages, accept that they will not play a role in Gaza’s government, and disarm.
Starmer interrupted ministers’ summer vacations to talk about a draft European-led peace initiative and plans to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza, where the UN had warned of a looming famine.
No one has publicly tied a Palestinian statehood to a specific deadline or specified conditions as explicitly as previous UK governments have, despite the fact that previous governments have done so.
Following the announcement, Israel criticized the UK for offering a “reward for Hamas,” which would only undermine diplomatic efforts to end the Gaza war.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry claimed in a statement posted on X that the UK’s action would undermine any chance of a ceasefire. The most recent negotiated ceasefire was broken by Israel in March.
Before going public with the plan, Starmer called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and explained it to him in a phone call, according to Reuters. The conversation’s specifics have not been made public.
Meanwhile, Starmer and US President Donald Trump have distanced themselves from discussing Britain’s plans for recognition.
Trump told reporters on Tuesday aboard Air Force One, “We never did discuss it.”
The ideal moment.
The proposal, which is being supported by growing voices within Starmer’s own Labour Party, would significantly alter the UK position because previous governments have long waited for recognition, citing the need for “the right time.”
His position appears to have changed as a result of Starmer’s own party’s mounting pressure. More than half of Labour’s backbench MPs have signed letters urging the government to formally recognize a Palestinian state as a means of promoting peace in Israel.
Starmer, who spoke to reporters, defended the announcement’s timing and terms, claiming that the decision was motivated by the “intolerable situation” in Gaza and a concern that the two-state solution was about to become unachievable.
He said, “This is intended to advance that cause.” The idea of a two-state solution is fading and feels more distant now than it has for many years, according to the author.
He added that the UK’s eight-point peace plan, which it has been working with European partners, will include Palestine recognition. Emmanuel Macron, the country’s president, announced last week that France would formally recognize Palestine as a state, making it the largest and most powerful country in Europe. Norway, Spain, and Ireland’s Republic of Ireland have previously declared their approval of the State of Palestine.
There will never be a perfect time to recognize Palestinian statehood, warned Labour MP Sarah Champion, who coordinated the letter to Starmer.
Source: Aljazeera
Leave a Reply