London: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Tuesday that the United Kingdom is prepared to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly this September unless Israel undertakes significant actions to improve the living conditions of Palestinians. This declaration marks a potential shift in the UK's foreign policy stance towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Prime Minister Starmer convened his cabinet during the summer recess to deliberate on a newly proposed peace plan being developed in collaboration with other European leaders. The discussions centered on increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza's 2.2 million residents and ensuring Israel takes concrete measures to alleviate the humanitarian crisis.
Starmer outlined that without substantial actions from Israel, such as facilitating greater aid access to Gaza, explicitly ruling out the annexation of the West Bank, and committing to a sustainable peace process aimed at achieving a "two-state solution," the UK would proceed with recognizing Palestine. He emphasized the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, citing images of starving children and widespread suffering as a catalyst for this potential diplomatic move.
The recognition of Palestine by the UK would follow France's recent decision, making it the second Western nation on the UN Security Council to take such a step. This reflects Israel's increasing diplomatic isolation due to its actions in Gaza, where conflict with Hamas has resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis and a Palestinian death toll exceeding 60,000.
The UK government's decision in September will depend on the progress made by the involved parties in meeting the outlined conditions, with Starmer underscoring that no external entity will have the authority to veto the decision.