Islamabad 30 July: The United Kingdom will formally recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September unless Israel takes concrete steps to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza and commits to a lasting peace, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has warned.
In a statement outlining a shift in UK foreign policy, Starmer said the recognition would go ahead unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire, enables the United Nations to resume aid deliveries to Gaza, and commits to a credible peace process aimed at a two-state solution.
“The appalling situation in Gaza must end,” the prime minister stated. “We are prepared to act in September if there is no substantive progress.”
Israel has strongly criticised the announcement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the UK’s position, saying it “rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism” and undermines efforts to defeat extremist groups.
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The UK has long maintained that recognition of a Palestinian state should happen at a moment when it would have the most diplomatic impact in support of a lasting peace. Starmer’s declaration signals a more assertive stance amid mounting international pressure over Israel’s military campaign and humanitarian conditions in Gaza.
The move would mark a significant change in the UK’s Middle East policy, aligning it more closely with European nations like Spain, Ireland, and Norway, which recently recognised Palestine.
